‘Suspect From Hellhole Afghanistan’: Trump Calls Shooting Near White As 'Act Of Terror'

President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 500 additional National Guard members to the nation's capital after two guardsmen from West Virginia were critically wounded in a shooting near the White House on Wednesday afternoon.

In a post on Truth Social early Thursday, Trump condemned the attacker as an "animal" and vowed that he would "pay a very steep price." He added that both soldiers were in critical condition and had been admitted to separate hospitals. "God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you," Trump wrote.

The shooting unfolded around 2:15 p.m. when the assailant opened fire on a female guard, striking her first in the chest and then in the head, according to reports. The attacker then shot a second guardsman before being subdued by a third soldier stationed nearby. The suspect, identified as 29‑year‑old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, sustained injuries that authorities say are not life‑threatening. Lakanwal reportedly entered the United States during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Vice President JD Vance expressed sorrow over the incident, calling it "a brutal reminder of what we ask them to do every day." Former President Barack Obama also reacted, saying "violence has no place in America" and offering prayers for the wounded servicemembers and their families as they face the holiday season under tragic circumstances.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially announced that both soldiers had died, but later walked back his statement, citing conflicting reports about their condition. "Our prayers are with these brave service members, their families, and the entire Guard community," he said in a post on X.

The two guardsmen were among more than 2,000 troops deployed under Trump's crime‑fighting mission, which involved federal control over local policing in Washington. Both remain hospitalized in critical condition as investigations continue into the attack.