Did Trump call the attack on National Guard an 'act of terror' and order 500 more troops?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Trump condemned the shooting as an act of terror.
- 500 additional troops are being deployed to safeguard the capital.
- The alleged shooter is an Afghan national.
- The incident raises serious questions about national security.
- Two National Guardsmen are in critical condition.
Washington, Nov 27 (NationPress) Just hours after two National Guardsmen were shot in downtown Washington, US President Donald Trump condemned the incident as an "act of terror".
"This vile act was one of evil, hatred, and terror. It constitutes a crime against our nation and humanity," Trump stated while addressing the nation on Wednesday evening (local time).
He identified the suspect in custody as a "foreigner who came from Afghanistan, a hellhole on earth," and criticized the earlier Biden administration for permitting the attacker’s entry into the country under refugee status.
Reports indicated that the alleged shooter is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who arrived in the U.S. in 2021.
Trump further pledged to "re-assess every single alien" who entered the U.S. from Afghanistan during the Biden era.
"We must now scrutinize every individual who has come from Afghanistan under Biden's administration. We need to take all necessary steps to remove anyone who does not belong here or contribute positively to our nation. If they cannot love our country, we do not want them," he asserted.
He also declared the deployment of an additional 500 troops to "help safeguard our capital city."
The shooting transpired less than 500 meters from the White House, while Trump was in Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The two National Guard members, dispatched from West Virginia, are in critical condition.
Earlier, Trump tweeted on X, "The individual who shot the two critically wounded National Guardsmen, both in separate hospitals, is also severely injured, but will face a very heavy consequence. God bless our great National Guard and all our military and law enforcement. These are truly great people. As President, I stand with you!"
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser described the shooting as a "targeted attack."
In a media briefing, FBI Director Kash Patel noted that the case will be prosecuted federally, stating "this is an assault on federal law enforcement officers."
Multiple states have dispatched Guard personnel to Washington recently as part of President Trump’s public safety initiative, which has since expanded to several other major U.S. cities.
Currently, about 2,400 National Guard troops are stationed in Washington, including approximately 958 from the DC National Guard and around 1,300 from eight other states.