On Wednesday, U.S. National Guard members were critically wounded in a targeted shooting that occurred blocks away from the White House. The incident has sparked a national outcry, with President Donald Trump labeling it a “savage attack” and a “crime against humanity.” The suspects at the center of the investigation are an Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, who is currently in custody. According to exclusive reports from Fox News Digital, Lakanwal had a history of working with U.S. government entities, including the CIA, in Afghanistan as a partner force member in Kandahar. The CIA Director, John Ratcliffe, claimed that the Biden administration’s decision to allow Lakanwal to enter the U.S. under the “Operation Allies Welcome” initiative was an error that exposed the country to potential dangers.
The shooting, reportedly a premeditated act, has led to calls for stricter accountability for the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghan withdrawal. Ratcliffe emphasized that such individuals should not have been permitted to enter the U.S. under these circumstances, attributing the problem to the “catastrophic failures” of the administration. Meanwhile, Trump, who is currently campaigning for the 2024 presidential election, used the event to highlight what he refers to as the dangers posed by “catastrophic failures” in national policy, suggesting that the Biden administration is responsible for the security risks that have led to the tragedy.
The FBI has confirmed it is leading the investigation into the attack, and multiple intelligence sources indicated that the shooting is being treated as a potential act of international terrorism. During an address to the American public, Trump called for the perpetrator to face severe punishment, expressing that the situation was a “crime against our nation” and a “crime against humanity.” The response to the shooting has also garnered significant political attention, with public figures and officials taking stands on the issue, while the families of the injured National Guard members continue to be a focal point for the nation’s collective grief and support.