WEB DESK: A National Guard soldier wounded in an ambush earlier this week near the White House has passed away, President Donald Trump announced Thursday. The news emerged just hours before the president shared an anti-immigration message on social media.
Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old from West Virginia, was commended by Trump during a video call with service members, where he described her as an “incredible person” and “outstanding in every way.”
Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries following the attack, while Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, aged 24, remains hospitalized in critical condition. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, also sustained injuries and is currently in custody.
Authorities disclosed that Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 through a resettlement program after the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. A former CIA collaborator, he now faces multiple criminal charges.
The Washington Post reported that Lakanwal had been part of one of the CIA’s classified “Zero Units,” which carried out covert operations targeting groups like the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and ISIS with U.S. intelligence backing. Sources close to the investigation provided these details anonymously as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
In reaction to the shootings, the Trump administration announced a suspension of immigration processing for Afghan nationals and plans to reevaluate cases involving individuals admitted during President Biden’s term. Additionally, Trump directed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to reassess green-card holders from 19 specified countries.
Later that day, Trump shared a series of social media posts criticizing migrants and Democratic leaders while hinting at significant immigration policy changes, though no specifics were given. Among the ideas he proposed were halting migration from all “Third World Countries,” ending federal benefits for noncitizens, and revoking citizenship from individuals deemed threats to domestic stability. Neither the White House nor the Department of Homeland Security has elaborated on these proposals.
FBI Director Kash Patel called the shooting a “heinous act of terrorism” but refrained from providing further details or context about the incident.
