National Guard Ambushed on Thanksgiving Eve
Two National Guard troops were critically wounded in a targeted shooting outside a metro station in downtown Washington DC on Wednesday, the eve of Thanksgiving. The incident, described by officials as a deliberate ambush, occurred close to the White House, sending shockwaves through the nation's capital.
One of the victims has been identified as Andrew Wolfe from West Virginia. His former high school confirmed on Facebook that he is undergoing surgery and remains in a critical condition. The condition of the second Guardsman has not been disclosed.
Trump's Response and Policy Changes
In a televised address from his Mar-a-Lago estate, President Donald Trump condemned the attack as an "act of terror" and a "crime against humanity." He swiftly moved to implement significant immigration policy changes in response.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it will stop processing all asylum requests from Afghan nationals "indefinitely" and "effective immediately." This decisive action represents a major shift in American immigration policy following the violent incident.
The Suspect and Political Fallout
The suspected shooter has been identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal. According to CNN reports, Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 under the Biden administration's Operation Allies Welcome program. However, his asylum application was reportedly granted by the Trump administration in April of this year.
Despite this timeline, President Trump has placed blame squarely on his predecessor, Joe Biden, for initially allowing Lakanwal into the country. The suspect, who had been living in Washington state, had no known criminal history prior to the attack. Officials have stated he appears to have acted alone, with the FBI's joint terrorism task force investigating his motives.
In the wake of the shooting, Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that 500 additional National Guardsmen will be deployed to Washington DC to bolster security. The attack has sparked intense debate about immigration policy and national security, with the administration taking immediate action to address perceived vulnerabilities in the system.
