Donald Trump took decisive action after a shooting incident near the White House caused a lockdown in the capitol.
Yesterday, on November 26, two members of the US National Guard stationed in Washington DC were shot in what Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser referred to as a ‘targeted shooting’.
The injured guardsmen, who belong to the West Virginia National Guard, were transported to the hospital and are reported to be in critical condition.
In response to the incident, Trump expressed on Truth Social: “The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price. 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!”
The Trump administration acted swiftly by deploying an additional 500 National Guard members to Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that Trump had directed him to dispatch the troops.
The suspect has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, who has reportedly been in the US since 2021.
Lakanwal was also injured during the incident, which NBC News reports is under investigation as a potential act of terrorism. He reportedly received four gunshot wounds and was hospitalized for his injuries.
Following the revelation that the shooter is from Afghanistan, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the suspension of requests from Afghan nationals.
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USCIS stated on Twitter, “Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” emphasizing that, “The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission.”
This decision follows the President’s remarks that lenient immigration policies pose ‘the single greatest national security threat facing our nation’ in light of the recent attack.
He further stated, “No country can tolerate such a risk to our very survival,” according to NBC Washington.
Trump also criticized Afghanistan as ‘a hellhole on earth’ and indicated that his administration plans to review the entry of individuals from Afghanistan under President Joe Biden, a strategy they were considering before the event took place.