In a shocking broad daylight attack just one block from the White House, two National Guard troops were brutally shot yesterday. The soldiers, aged 20 and 24, had taken their oath of service less than 24 hours before the incident. While these young servicemembers battled for their lives in hospital, former President Donald Trump's focus shifted dramatically to the immigration status of the alleged attacker, leading to a series of explosive and controversial statements.
Trump's Immigration Fury
Donald Trump unleashed a furious rant targeting Afghan refugees and, inexplicably, Somali immigrants in Minnesota who had no connection to the shooting. He identified the alleged shooter as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the United States as a refugee following the fall of Kabul in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome.
In a statement, Trump claimed, "He was flown in by the Biden administration in September 2021. On those infamous flights that everybody was talking about. Nobody knew who was coming in." He further escalated his rhetoric, falsely asserting that 20 million "unknown and unvetted foreigners" had entered the US under President Biden—a claim that is mathematically impossible and factually incorrect.
Trump branded Lakanwal an "animal" and declared, "We must now reexamine 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." He also announced the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington DC, joining the approximately 2,200 already stationed there.
The Critical Asylum Detail Trump Omitted
While Trump vehemently attacked the Biden administration for Lakanwal's initial entry into the US, he conspicuously omitted a crucial fact: Rahmanullah Lakanwal was granted asylum by the Trump administration itself.
The Afghan national applied for asylum in 2024 and received approval in April—seven months ago, while Trump was still in office. This critical timeline directly contradicts Trump's narrative blaming his successor exclusively for the alleged shooter's presence in America.
When questioned about this discrepancy at a press conference, FBI Director Kash Patel deflected, stating, "I believe [Homeland Security Secretary] Kristi Noem put that out, and that's a DHS matter and I'll refer it to them." However, Noem has not publicly commented on the asylum claim, though her department has confirmed the timeline to various media outlets.
Broader Political Fallout and Ironies
The shooting incident triggered additional controversial statements from Trump's inner circle. Vice President JD Vance, speaking to troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, chose Thanksgiving to launch an unexpected attack on turkey, declaring, "Turkey doesn't actually taste that good. Chicken is good all the time."
More significantly, Vance stated that the US military doesn't want "people who mindlessly follow orders," adding, "We want people who think." This comment comes amid an ongoing White House conflict with veteran congress members who have reminded military personnel they aren't obligated to follow illegal orders.
In international diplomacy, Trump escalated tensions with South Africa, banning the country from next year's G20 summit scheduled for his Miami golf club. This decision followed Trump's refusal to attend this week's summit hosted by South Africa and a subsequent diplomatic snub during the official handover ceremony. Trump tweeted, "Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20." He further threatened to "stop all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately."
The series of events highlights an administration responding to domestic tragedy with immigration crackdowns, controversial military commentary, and international diplomatic confrontations, all while key facts about the alleged shooter's immigration history complicate the official narrative.
