A Democratic strategist has warned that deploying 500 additional National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. would create ‘more targets’ for potential attacks, following the recent shooting of two guardsmen. The incident has sparked debate over national security and military presence in the nation’s capital, with legal and political implications emerging.
CNN host Erica Hill questioned Democrat strategist Donte Mills on ‘CNN NewsNight’ about the legal battle of keeping the National Guard in the nation’s capital in the aftermath of Wednesday’s shooting that critically injured two guardsmen. ‘The administration filing this emergency today saying we want to keep them in, and the president saying, I want 500 more troops. How much does that sort of muddy the waters legally, given everything that we saw today?’ Hill asked.
Mills responded by suggesting that the administration is likely using the incident to advance its agenda of keeping National Guard troops on the street. ‘I think the president is going to use — his administration is going to use this incident to further their cause of having these Guardsmen on the street,’ he stated. This raises questions about the strategic motivations behind the troop deployment and its potential impact on public safety.
The alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, had been granted legal entry to the U.S. in 2021 under humanitarian parole as part of the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome initiative, which followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. This detail has fueled discussions about the broader implications of the shooting, particularly regarding the administration’s handling of international refugees and security protocols.
Following the shooting, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated that President Donald Trump had asked him to deploy 500 additional troops to Washington, D.C. However, Mills emphasized that the additional guardsmen would not have prevented the attack, as the suspect had targeted uniformed personnel regardless of their numbers.
Paul Rieckhoff, a veteran of the Iraq War, suggested that the presence of military personnel in the nation’s capital may not necessarily enhance safety. ‘Any time the commander in chief sends men and women into harm’s way, he has to explain why it’s absolutely necessary. And the question should be, is this absolutely necessary?’ He added, highlighting the need for transparency and justifications for such deployments.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has pledged to pursue the death penalty for Lakanwal, underscoring the seriousness of the crime and the administration’s stance on justice. The case continues to draw attention to the complexities of national security, military presence, and the legal consequences surrounding such tragic events.