Former President Donald Trump has launched a fierce attack on Joe Biden, Somali immigrants, and Afghan refugees following a shooting incident in Washington DC that left two National Guard troops wounded.
The Shooting and Trump's Response
In an extensive statement addressing the overnight shooting, Trump specifically targeted 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who authorities identified as involved in the incident. The former president claimed Lakanwal entered the United States as part of Operation Allies Welcome in September 2021 following the fall of Kabul, stating he was "flown in by the Biden administration."
Trump described these evacuation flights as "infamous" and claimed "nobody knew who was coming in." He further asserted that Lakanwal's status had been extended under legislation signed by President Biden, whom he labelled "the worst in the history of our country."
Broader Immigration Claims and Somali Community Attack
The former president expanded his criticism beyond the immediate incident, making sweeping statements about immigration policy. He claimed the Biden administration had "let in 20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners from all over the world," describing this as "the single greatest national security threat facing our nation."
In a surprising diversion, Trump then targeted the Somali community in Minnesota, despite their having no connection to the Washington DC shooting. He alleged that "hundreds of thousands of Somalians are ripping off our country" and "ripping apart that once great state," while making unsubstantiated claims about financial losses.
The Contradictory Facts Emerge
While Trump's statements placed full responsibility on the Biden administration, official records reveal a more complex picture. Although Lakanwal did initially enter the US as a refugee in 2021 under Biden, his asylum application was actually filed in 2024 - after Trump had returned to office.
More significantly, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Lakanwal's asylum application was granted in April 2025, during Trump's current presidency. The Afghan national was in the process of applying for permanent residency through a green card, though that application remained pending at the time of the shooting.
The condition of the two wounded National Guard members remains officially unconfirmed. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially posted on social media that two Guard members from his state had been killed, but later retracted this statement, saying his office was "receiving conflicting reports" about their condition.
The troops were among nearly 2,200 National Guard members deployed to Washington DC as part of Trump's surge response to his claims of a crimewave in the capital. Official statistics, however, show crime was actually dramatically down compared to the previous year, contradicting the former president's assertions.
