US President Donald Trump has denounced the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House as an “act of terror,” linking the alleged assailant to recent immigration arrivals from Afghanistan during the Biden administration.
The soldiers were critically wounded on Wednesday just two blocks from the White House, prompting a swift emergency response. Authorities confirmed that a suspect had been arrested and that three gunshot victims were transported from the scene.
In a statement, Trump described the attack as “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror,” adding that his administration would “reexamine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan” under the previous administration. A spokesperson noted that Trump, who was in Florida at the time, had been briefed on the unfolding situation.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged Americans to pray for the injured Guardsmen, while eyewitnesses recounted scenes of panic around Farragut Square, a bustling public area. An AFP reporter in the vicinity heard several sharp bangs, later confirmed to be gunshots, as bystanders fled.
Witness Angela Perry, who was in her car with her children, said she saw members of the National Guard rushing toward the metro station with their weapons drawn. Secret Service agents were also spotted securing the perimeter behind yellow police tape.
On his Truth Social account, Trump pledged that the attacker, who was taken into custody with serious injuries, would “pay a very steep price.”
The incident occurs amid heightened scrutiny of the president’s domestic use of National Guard troops. Trump has deployed Guard units to cities such as Washington, Los Angeles and Memphis to support his immigration enforcement efforts and combat crime.
However, a federal judge ruled last week that the mass deployment of troops in Washington was unlawful, echoing earlier challenges by California over the use of troops during protests related to migrant roundups.
Authorities say investigations into the shooting are ongoing.
