Trump admin granted asylum to Afghan national who shot two National Guardsmen in DC: Report

WASHINGTON, DC: The Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House on Wednesday was reportedly granted asylum under the Trump administration, according to multiple outlets.

A source familiar with the case told NBC News that 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal was granted asylum in the US this year.

That said, Lakanwal landed his golden ticket into America courtesy of the Biden-era resettlement effort Operation Allies Welcome.

John Miller breaks down suspect's arrival in the US

CNN’s John Miller spelled out the timeline on-air. “What we know is that he comes here from Afghanistan. Now, this is a guy who’s been living in Washington state, not Washington, DC. On the other end of the country,” he reported.

"He comes here from Afghanistan in the Summer of 2021. Remember what that was like? Refugees fleeing Afghanistan, people had to be recommended by US people on one end, vetted on this end by government background checks as far as they could do in Afghanistan, have sponsors, and so on," Miller explained.

"He settled in Washington. He applies for asylum in December of 2024. Now, he goes through another vetting process involving that, and he’s approved for asylum in April of this year under the Trump administration. He comes in under the Biden administration, these checks are being done."

“In this case, that’s all we know about this individual, but it appears that he must have done work either for or with the United States in Afghanistan to become part of the Allies Welcome program and be brought here. That still doesn’t get us closer to motive," Miller concluded.

Trump calls shooting an 'act of terror' in primetime address

President Donald Trump unloaded Wednesday night on the shooting in a national address.

Trump called the attack "an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror," adding, "It was a crime against our entire nation."

The commander-in-chief said he was citing intel straight from Homeland Security, revealing the suspect entered the US from Afghanistan in September 2021 under the administration of then-President Joe Biden.

Trump declared the shooting "underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation," arguing that the U.S. "must now reexamine every single alien from Afghanistan who has entered our country under Biden and we must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country."

Shortly after Trump’s speech, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that "processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols."

Terror motive on the table as FBI steps in

Several sources told ABC News that the FBI is now investigating the shooting as a potential act of international terrorism.

The two victims, one male and one female, were rushed to local hospitals, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the case.

The attack itself was a classic ambush, according to the Metropolitan Police. The bullets started flying around 2:15 pm Wednesday near the Farragut West Metro station.

MPD Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll said the unidentified suspect rounded a corner, raised a firearm, and opened fire.

"It appears … to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard," Carroll said.