Summary (tl;dr)

Two National Guard members were critically wounded in a targeted ambush shooting near the White House in Washington D.C. on November 26, 2025, by an Afghan national who entered the U.S. under "Operation Allies Welcome" in 2021.

Essential Background

Prior to the shooting, National Guard troops, including a contingent from the West Virginia National Guard, were deployed across Washington D.C. since August 2025 as part of a broader domestic-military mobilization ordered by President Donald Trump to address a "crime emergency" in the city. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, entered the United States in September 2021 under the "Operation Allies Welcome" program, designed to assist vulnerable Afghans after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. He applied for asylum in 2024, which was granted in April 2025.

The Full Story

On November 26, 2025, two members of the West Virginia National Guard were critically injured in an ambush-style shooting near the Farragut West Metro station in Washington D.C., just two blocks northwest of the White House. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, reportedly approached the Guardsmen, who were on high-visibility patrol, and immediately opened fire with a handgun. Other National Guard members and law enforcement quickly responded, and Lakanwal was also shot and taken into custody, though his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The incident prompted a lockdown of the White House and nearby office buildings in Farragut Square.

Why It Matters

This incident has been described by President Trump as an "act of evil, hatred, and terror," fueling controversy over immigration policies and the presence of military troops in the capital. In response to the shooting, President Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington D.C. and called for a re-examination of all Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. under the "Operation Allies Welcome" program. Furthermore, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has indefinitely paused the processing of all immigration applications for Afghan nationals pending a review of security and vetting protocols. The event has intensified public debate about the legal status and operational role of the National Guard in the nation's capital and the vetting process for refugees.

Geographic Location

• Farragut West Metro Station, Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, United States (shooting of National Guard members)