Trump says he'd ‘certainly’ consider attending funeral of slain National Guardswoman Sarah Beckstrom

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump said he would “certainly” consider attending the funeral of 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, who died after she and another guardsman were shot near the White House on Wednesday, November 26. 

Trump, who spoke with Beckstrom’s parents, said the family was “devastated” and praised the young soldier as “highly respected” and “magnificent.” He added that the second victim, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition.

The shooting suspect, identified as Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the US in 2021 under "Operation Allies Welcome" and was previously vetted by US agencies. Officials across government expressed condolences and pledged justice as the investigation continues.

Trump weighs attending Sarah Beckstrom’s funeral after speaking with her family

Donald Trump told reporters he had not yet considered attending the funeral but said it was “certainly something I could conceive of,” noting his connection to West Virginia. He said Beckstrom’s parents were at her side when he spoke with them and described her as “outstanding in every way.”

“I heard that Sarah Beckstrom, of West Virginia ... highly respected, young, magnificent person, started service in June of 2023, outstanding in every way, she's just passed away,” Trump said. “She was savagely attacked. She's dead now.”

He added that Wolfe was “fighting for his life” and hoped for “better news” regarding his condition.

Officials honor Sarah Beckstrom and call for justice

Officials across the federal government and West Virginia leadership mourned Sarah Beckstrom’s death.

“An American hero, at home with the LORD,” Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth wrote, while FBI Director Kash Patel urged the public to join him in praying for the family.

US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro called Beckstrom “a hero who volunteered to serve DC on Thanksgiving,” adding, “It is now time to avenge her death and secure justice.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was “devastated” and confirmed that the Justice Department would pursue the death penalty against the alleged gunman.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said Beckstrom “served with courage, extraordinary resolve, and an unwavering sense of duty,” while Senators Jim Justice and Shelley Moore Capito also expressed their condolences.

Sarah Beckstrom's father says she suffered a 'mortal wound,' recounts final hours at hospital

Sarah Beckstrom’s father, Gary Beckstrom, offered a heartbreaking account of his daughter’s condition as he spoke from her hospital room, where family members had gathered after rushing to DC in the wake of the shooting. 

He said he had been holding her hand since the moment he arrived, describing the severity of her injuries as far beyond what doctors could repair. “I’m holding her hand right now,” he said. “She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery.”

Gary informed The New York Times that surgeons had worked for hours through the night trying to control internal bleeding and assess the damage caused by the gunfire, but told the family the wound was devastating.

He said medical teams were continuing efforts to keep her stable, but the prognosis had already been explained to the family in stark terms. Beckstrom’s father said the family was preparing for the likelihood that she would not survive, calling the situation “every parent’s worst nightmare” as they stayed by her bedside during what he described as “the most painful hours of our lives.”

Suspect entered the US under Afghan resettlement program

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, reportedly immigrated to the US under the Joe Biden administration’s Afghan resettlement program after working with the CIA during the US mission in Afghanistan. A senior US official said he was “clean on all checks.” His asylum application was approved earlier this year.

A 2024 Justice Department inspector general report found “no systemic failures” in vetting Afghan refugees or follow-up immigration processes.

USCIS said on Thursday that it would reexamine green cards issued to individuals from “countries of concern,” including Afghanistan.

Lakanwal faces three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and one count of firearm possession during a violent crime, charges that could be upgraded if Wolfe’s condition worsens.

In response to the attack, Trump and Hegseth announced the deployment of 500 additional National Guard troops to DC. A federal judge had previously blocked Guard deployments to the capital but paused the ruling until December 11 while appeals move forward.