FBI investigates ambush shooting of National Guard troops near White House

Federal investigators from the FBI’s joint terrorism task force are examining the motives behind a Thanksgiving eve shooting that left two National Guard soldiers critically injured near the White House on 26 November.

According to law enforcement officials, the attack occurred outside a subway station just blocks from the presidential residence and was described as a “targeted ambush”.

The two soldiers, members of the West Virginia National Guard, were conducting a high-visibility patrol when the suspect approached and opened fire. Both sustained critical injuries and remain hospitalised.

The shooter, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was wounded in an exchange of gunfire before being arrested at the scene. Authorities have stated he acted alone.

Lakanwal, an Afghan national, entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a resettlement programme initiated by President Joe Biden’s administration to support Afghan allies following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Lakanwal’s entry but withheld further details about his immigration status. A former Trump administration official, speaking anonymously, said Lakanwal applied for asylum in December 2024 and was granted approval on 23 April 2025, under President Donald Trump’s administration.

No criminal record has been found for Lakanwal, who resided in Washington state prior to the shooting.

White House placed on lockdown following midday attack

The shooting occurred around midday in a bustling commercial area. In response, Secret Service agents temporarily placed the White House under lockdown as a precautionary measure.

According to Jeff Carroll, executive assistant chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, the assailant “came around the corner”, drew a firearm, and opened fire without warning. He described the act as a deliberate ambush.

“The suspect appeared to have acted alone,” said Carroll. “Additional National Guard troops at the scene subdued him after a brief exchange of gunfire.”

Mayor of Washington, Muriel Bowser, labelled the event a “targeted shooting” in a press briefing shortly after the attack. Bowser has previously clashed with the Trump administration over the federal deployment of troops in the city.

In the aftermath of the attack, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that President Donald Trump had requested the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.

Speaking from the steps of the Dominican Republic’s National Palace, where he had spent the afternoon meeting with senior officials, Hegseth described the shooting as a “cowardly, dastardly act targeting the best of America.”

“It will not stand,” he said. “That’s why President Trump has asked me — and I will ask the secretary of the Army — to direct the National Guard to add 500 additional troops to Washington, D.C.”

Political fallout and immigration policy response

President Trump, speaking in a pre-recorded video released on 26 November, condemned the attack as “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.” Trump also announced a re-evaluation of immigration vetting procedures for Afghan nationals admitted under President Biden’s administration.



From his Florida resort, Trump referred to the suspect as an “animal” and stated he would “pay a very steep price”.

Shortly after, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed an indefinite pause on all Afghan-related immigration processing, citing a need to review “security and vetting protocols.”

Vice-President J.D. Vance also commented, stating in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the incident validated the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement. “We must redouble our efforts to deport people with no right to be in our country,” he said.

Critics, however, argue that Trump’s immigration policies have often been indiscriminate and punitive, targeting legal immigrants and asylum seekers without criminal records.

Militarised law enforcement and legal tensions

The two National Guard soldiers were part of a militarised patrol force ordered by President Trump earlier this year. In August, Trump directed the deployment of over 2,000 troops to Washington, D.C., claiming the city was unsafe.

This move was challenged by city officials and led to a legal battle. On 21 November, five days before the shooting, a federal judge ruled that National Guard troops could not be used for law enforcement duties in the capital without the mayor’s approval.

However, the ruling was paused until December to allow time for an appeal from the Trump administration.

Following the 26 November attack, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that Trump had authorised the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard soldiers to the city.

Trump has similarly deployed federal troops to other Democrat-led cities, including Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago, citing escalating crime and resistance to immigration enforcement. City leaders have accused him of using these deployments for political ends and undermining local authority.