Two U.S. National Guard members were ambushed and shot near the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, according to authorities. The attack, which occurred just blocks from the presidential residence, left both victims in critical condition. The suspect, a lone gunman, is in custody and is believed to have targeted the guardsmen during high-visibility patrols. According to DC police, the suspect approached the guardsmen and fired at one of them at close, then shot at another who tried to take cover behind a bus stop.
Executive Assistant Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department Jeffrey Carroll confirmed that the suspect appears to have acted alone, raising the firearm and ambushing the guardsmen. The incident has sparked immediate reactions from key political figures, with President Donald Trump condemning the attack on his social media platform, Truth Social, while Vice President J.D. Vance urged the public to pray for the victims. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrissey initially reported that the victims had died from their injuries, later clarifying that he was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition. The tragedy has underscored the ongoing tensions surrounding the use of the National Guard in urban areas, with some officials calling for increased security measures.
Prior to the shooting, President Trump had deployed the National Guard in Washington, D.C., and other major cities as part of what he described as a crackdown on crime, a move that faced immediate backlash from Democrats who filed lawsuits against the administration. The courts have temporarily blocked some of the deployments, but the Trump administration continues to press ahead with its security strategy. The incident highlights the growing political and public scrutiny surrounding the use of military forces in domestic law enforcement roles, a topic that has sparked widespread debate across the country.
Following the shooting, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that 500 additional National Guardsmen would join the 2,500 troops already stationed in the nation’s capital. This decision comes amid nationwide protests against Trump’s policies, including large-scale ‘No Kings’ demonstrations that have taken place in recent weeks to challenge his administration’s use of the National Guard to address immigration issues. The shooting has raised questions about the safety of military personnel and the broader implications of the administration’s security measures, particularly in the context of the ongoing political polarization of the United States.