Former President Donald Trump has launched a furious verbal assault on Joe Biden, branding the suspected shooter in a White House security incident an 'animal'. The attack occurred on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, targeting two members of the West Virginia National Guard while they were on duty.
A 'Crime Against Humanity'
Addressing the nation about what he termed a 'heinous assault', Trump described the event as an act of evil, hatred, and terror. He stated, "It was a crime against our entire nation. It was a crime against humanity." The ex-president confirmed that the suspect is an Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal.
Trump directly linked the suspect to the Biden administration's 2021 evacuation efforts from Afghanistan, claiming Lakanwal was "flown in by the Biden administration in September 2021 on those infamous flights." He used the incident to criticise what he called the admission of "20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners" into the United States.
Contradictory Background of the Suspect
In a surprising twist, a relative of the suspected shooter provided a contrasting narrative to NBC News. The relative, who had served with Lakanwal, revealed that the suspect had served for a decade in the Afghan Army, part of which was spent at a base in Kandahar alongside US Special Forces troops.
The relative expressed profound disbelief at the allegations, telling NBC, "We were the ones that were targeted by the Taliban in Afghanistan. I cannot believe it that he might do this." This account paints a very different picture of the suspect from the one presented in Trump's remarks.
Policy Response and Fallout
In the wake of the shooting, President Trump has taken decisive action, dispatching an additional 500 soldiers to help safeguard the capital city. He vowed that the perpetrator of this "barbaric attack" would face justice.
Trump also announced a significant policy shift, stating, "We must now re examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden and we must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here."
An Afghan advocacy group expressed sadness about the attack but urged that it should not be used to "isolate or harm" the broader Afghan community that has resettled in America. The incident has immediately intensified the national debate on immigration and security.
