President Donald Trump has invited to the White House the families of the National Guard members who were shot Wednesday evening near the White House, allegedly by an Afghan national.
“I said when you’re ready—because that’s a tough thing—come to the White House. We’re going to honor Sarah, and likewise, honor Andrew,” he told reporters Sunday. “Recover or not, we’re going to.”
Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries. The second National Guard member, Andrew Wolfe, 24, is “fighting for his life,” according to Trump.
The president said he has spoken to both families.
“The one is no longer with us, and Andrew is fighting for his life,” he said. “And his parents are unbelievably great people, highly religious people, and they’re praying, and they want everybody to pray for Andrew, and he has a chance to make it, but his mother and father, they were so unbelievable. They were so positive. From West Virginia, great state.”
Trump said he also spoke with Beckstrom’s parents.
“The only thing I can say, they were devastated,” he said. “They can’t even believe it could happen. It’s absolutely devastating, of course, to lose your children.”
After the shooting, War Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Trump has asked for 500 additional troops to be deployed to the District of Columbia.
Trump said he would “permanently pause” migration from “third-world countries” after the suspect, who was evacuated from Afghanistan as part of Operation Allies Welcome in 2021, was identified. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Sunday that the administration believes the alleged shooter was “radicalized since he’s been here in this country.”
“We do believe it was through connections in his home community and state, and we’re going to continue to talk to those who interacted with him,” she said.
