‘Act of Terror’ Near White House: DC Shooting Sparks National Security Debate
The nation’s capital was rocked by an “act of evil and act of hatred and an act of terror” this week, according to President Donald Trump, following the ambush-style shooting of two National Guard members just blocks from the White House. The brazen attack, which occurred on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday, has immediately ignited a fierce new debate over immigration policy and domestic security.
The incident unfolded near the Farragut West Metro station, where two members of the West Virginia National Guard were conducting a high-visibility patrol. Officials described the incident as a “monstrous, ambush-style attack,” with Metropolitan Police stating the gunman came around a corner and immediately opened fire directly at the troops. Both service members were rushed to separate hospitals, where they were listed in critical condition following the shooting.
The man taken into custody, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan national. Investigators say Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program initiated following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. A US official noted that Lakanwal had been granted asylum earlier this year. The suspect was also shot during the confrontation and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The FBI has stepped in to investigate the shooting as a potential act of international terrorism, and the case is being prosecuted federally as an assault on federal law enforcement officers. While investigators are still working to determine Lakanwal’s motive, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has characterized the incident as a “targeted shooting.”
Speaking from Florida, President Trump swiftly condemned the attack, vowing to “ensure that the animal who perpetrated this atrocity pays the steepest possible price.” The President directly linked the attack to the suspect’s immigration status, calling for an immediate and comprehensive review. He stated: “We must now reexamine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under [former President Joe] Biden.” Following the statement, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency announced an indefinite halt to the processing of all immigration requests for Afghan nationals pending a review of security and vetting protocols.
In a tangible security response, the President also directed the Pentagon to mobilize an additional 500 National Guard members to Washington, D.C., supplementing the nearly 2,200 troops already deployed to the city as part of a controversial effort to combat crime. The tragic attack has amplified the national security concerns surrounding the broader deployment of Guard troops in the nation’s capital, a situation that has been the subject of multiple court fights and a major public policy debate for months. As the two critically injured Guard members fight for their lives, the investigation into this targeted act of violence continues to unfold, ensuring the nation remains focused on the evolving threat to its capital.