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  • In first year in Senate, Schiff pushes legislation, party message and challenges to Trump

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    Five months after joining the U.S. Senate, Adam Schiff delivered a floor speech on what he called “the top 10 deals for Donald Trump and the worst deals for the American people.”

    Schiff spoke of Trump and his family getting rich off cryptocurrency and cutting new development deals across the Middle East, and of the president accepting a free jet from the Qatari government. Meanwhile, he said, average Americans were losing their healthcare, getting priced out of the housing market and having to “choose between rent or groceries.”

    “Trump gets rich. You get screwed,” the Democrat said.

    The speech was classic Schiff — an attempt by the former prosecutor to wrangle a complex set of graft allegations against Trump and his orbit into a single, cohesive corruption case against the president, all while serving up his own party’s preferred messaging on rising costs and the lack of affordability.

    It was also a prime example of the tack Schiff has taken since being sworn in one year ago to finish the final term of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a titan of California politics who held the seat for more than 30 years before dying in office in 2023.

    Schiff — now serving his own six-year term — has remained the unblinking antagonist to Trump that many Californians elected him to be after watching him dog the president from the U.S. House during Trump’s first term in the White House. He’s also continued to serve as one of the Democratic Party’s most talented if slightly cerebral messengers, hammering Trump over his alleged abuses of power and the lagging economy, which has become one of the president’s biggest liabilities.

    Schiff has done so while also defending himself against Trump’s accusations that he committed mortgage fraud on years-old loan documents; responding to the devastating wildfires that ripped through the Los Angeles region in January; visiting 25 of California’s 58 counties to meet more of his nearly 40 million constituents; grilling Trump appointees as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; and struggling to pass legislation as a minority member of a profoundly dysfunctional Congress that recently allowed for the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.

    It’s been an unusual and busy freshman year, attracting sharp criticism from the White House but high praise from his allies.

    “Pencil Neck Shifty Schiff clearly suffers from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that clouds his every thought,” said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson. “It’s too bad for Californians that Pencil Neck is more focused on his hatred of the President than he is on the issues that matter to them.”

    “He’s been great for California,” said Rep. Robert Garcia of Long Beach, ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee who endorsed Schiff’s opponent, former Rep. Katie Porter, in the Senate primary. “He’s not afraid of taking on Trump, he’s not afraid of doing tough oversight, he’s not afraid of asking questions, and it’s clear that Donald Trump is scared of Adam Schiff.”

    “While he may be a freshman in the Senate,” said Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), “he’s certainly no rookie.”

    Attempts to legislate

    Before he became known nationally for helping to lead Trump’s first-term impeachments and investigate the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump’s supporters, Schiff was known as a serious legislator. Since joining the Senate, he has tried to reclaim that reputation.

    He has introduced bills to strengthen homes against wildfires and other natural disasters, give tax relief to Los Angeles fire victims, strengthen California’s fire-crippled insurance market, study AI’s impact on the American workforce, reinstate a national assault weapons ban and expand federal tax credits for affordable housing.

    He has also introduced bills to end Trump’s tariffs, rein in the powers of the executive branch, halt the president and other elected officials from getting rich off cryptocurrencies, and end the White House-directed bombing campaign on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

    None of that legislation has passed.

    Schiff said he’s aware that putting his name on legislation might diminish its chances of gaining support, and at times he has intentionally taken a back seat on bills he’s worked on — he wouldn’t say which — to give them a better shot of advancing. But he said he also believes Democrats need to “point out what they’re for” to voters more often, and is proud to have put his name on bills that are important to him and he believes will bring down costs for Californians.

    As an example, he said his recent Housing BOOM (Building Occupancy Opportunity for Millions) Act is about building “millions of new homes across America, like we did after World War II, that are affordable for working families,” and is worth pushing even if Republicans resist it.

    “As we saw with the healthcare debate, when Republicans aren’t acting to bring costs down, when they’re doing things that make costs go up instead, we can force them to respond by putting forward our own proposals to move the country forward,” he said. “If Republicans continue to be tone deaf to the needs of the American people, with President Trump calling the affordability issue a hoax, then they’re gonna get the same kind of shellacking that they did in the election last month.”

    Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), a staunch ally, called Schiff a “legislative genius” who is “giving people hope” with his bills, which could pass if Democrats win back the House next year.

    “He has a vision for our country. He has knowledge of issues par excellence from all of the years that he’s served. He’s a strategic thinker,” she said. “I wouldn’t question how he decides to take up a bill just because what’s-his-name’s in the White House.”

    Mike Madrid, a Republican consultant, said Schiff’s prominent position on Trump’s enemies list of course hurts his chances of passing legislation, but the hyper-partisan nature of Congress means his chances weren’t great to begin with.

    Meanwhile, being seen as working for solutions clearly serves him and his party well, Madrid said, adding, “He’s probably accomplishing more socially than he ever could legislatively.”

    Criticism and praise

    For months, Trump and his administration have been accusing several prominent Democrats of mortgage-related crimes. Trump has accused Schiff of mortgage fraud for claiming primary residency in both California and Maryland, which Schiff denies.

    So far, nothing has come of it. Schiff said that he has not been interviewed by federal prosecutors, who are reportedly skeptical of the case, and that he doesn’t know anything about it other than that it is “a broad effort to silence and intimidate the president’s critics.”

    Schiff’s supporters and other political observers in the state either ignored the issue when asked about Schiff’s first year, were dismissive of it or said they saw it as a potential asset for the senator.

    “Adam Schiff is a person of great integrity, and people know that,” Pelosi said.

    “Probably one of the best things that could happen to Schiff is if Trump actually goaded the [Justice Department] to charge him for mortgage fraud, and then for the case to be thrown out in court,” said Garry South, a veteran Democratic strategist — noting that is what happened with a similar case brought against New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James.

    “He’s really benefited from having Trump put a target on his back,” South said. “In California, that’s not a death knell, that’s a life force.”

    Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), who chairs the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which Schiff sits on, said California represents a big part of the nation’s agriculture industry and having Schiff on the committee “is a good thing not just for California, but for our overall efforts to support farmers and producers nationwide.”

    “I have known Sen. Schiff since we served in the House together, and we are both committed to advocating farmers’ and rural America’s needs in a bipartisan way,” Boozman said. “We look forward to more opportunities to advance these goals together.”

    Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who chairs the Judiciary Committee, has “a cordial, professional relationship” with Schiff, a spokesperson said.

    Corrin Rankin, chairwoman of the California Republican Party, declined to comment. Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco, the leading Republican in the race for governor, did not respond to a request for comment.

    Looking ahead

    What comes next for Schiff will depend in part on whether Democrats win back a majority in Congress. But people on both sides of the political aisle said they expect big things from him regardless.

    Garcia said Schiff will be “at the center of holding the Trump administration accountable” no matter what happens. “Obviously, in the majority, we’re going to have the ability to subpoena, and to hold hearings, and to hold the administration accountable in a way that we don’t have now, but even in the minority, I think you see Adam’s strong voice pretty constant.”

    Kevin Spillane, a veteran GOP strategist, said he doesn’t make much of Schiff’s economic messaging because voters in California know that Democrats have caused the state’s affordability crisis by raising taxes and imposing endless regulations.

    But Schiff is already “the second-most important Democrat in California” after Newsom, he said, and his hammering on affordability could propel him even further if voters start to see him as working toward solutions.

    Rob Stutzman, another Republican consultant, said he can see Schiff in coming years “ascend to the Feinstein role” of “the caretaker of California in the U.S. Congress” — someone with “the ability to broker deals” on hugely important issues such as water and infrastructure. But to do so, Stutzman said, Schiff “needs to extract himself from the political meme of being a Trump antagonist.”

    Schiff said he knew heading to the Senate as Trump returned to the White House that he would be dividing his time “between delivering for California and fighting the worst of the Trump policies.” But his efforts to fix the economy and his efforts to resist Trump are not at odds, he said, but deeply intertwined.

    “When people feel like the quality of life their parents had was better, and the future for their kids looks like it’s even more in doubt, all too many are ready to entertain any demagogue who comes along promising they alone can fix it. They start to question whether democracy really works,” he said. “So I don’t think we’re going to put our democracy on a solid footing until we have our economy on a solid footing.”

    Times staff writer Ana Ceballos in Washington contributed to this report.

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    Kevin Rector

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  • FBI: Suspected D.C. shooter had S.D. connection, could face death penalty

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    Streets are blocked after two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington. (Photo by Anthony Peltier/Associated Press)

    Federal authorities Friday are considering the death penalty for a man with San Diego connections who is suspected of shooting two members of a West Virginia National Guard unit in Washington, D.C. — killing one and critically injuring the other.

    During a series of media appearances on Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters she would seek the death penalty against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021. According to ABC News, Lakanwal applied for asylum in 2024 and it was granted in April under the Trump administration.

    “I will tell you right now, I will tell you early, we will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that monster who should not have been in our country,” Bondi said in interviews before it was learned that one of the Guard members, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries.

    The other Guardsman, Private First Class Andrew Wolfe, 24, was listed in critical condition after undergoing surgery, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

    FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters, “a search warrant had been executed at the suspect’s last known address in Washington state. Based on what was found at the address, law enforcement was able to find people associated with him in San Diego.”

    “During that process, we seized numerous electronic devices to include cell phones, laptops, iPads and other material that is being analyzed as we speak,” Patel continued. “… Interviews were conducted and are going to be continue to be conducted, and we will go anywhere in the country or the world where the evidence leads us.”

    In an emailed response Thursday, a spokesperson for the FBI’s San Diego office did not provide further details about the case, and referred media outlets to “remarks made during the (earlier) press conference.”

    On Wednesday afternoon, a man now identified as Lakanwal shot the two members of the West Virginia National Guard “in an ambush-style attack” in the nation’s capital.

    Beckstrom died later Thursday, officials said.

    “A few moments ago, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom passed away from the injuries sustained during yesterday’s horrific shooting,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey posted Thursday on X. “This is not the result we hoped for, but it is the result we all feared,

    “Sarah served with courage, extraordinary resolve and an unwavering sense of duty to her state and to her nation,” Morrisey wrote. “She answered the call to serve, stepped forward willingly, and carried out her mission with the strength and character that define the very best of the West Virginia National Guard.

    “Today, we honor her bravery and her sacrifice as we mourn the loss of a young woman who gave everything she had in defense of others. We will forever hold her family, her friends and her fellow Guardsmen in our prayers as they grieve what no family should ever have to bear.”

    The shooter is believed to have acted alone.

    CBS reported that CIA officials said Lakanwal “previously worked with the U.S. government, including the CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar that ended in 2021 following the withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

    In addition to the possibility of the death penalty, federal officials said Lakanwal will be charged with three counts of assault with the intent to kill while armed and criminal possession of a weapon.

    Officials said Lakanwal — who is married and has five children — “drove from his residence in (Bellingham) Washington state to the nation’s capital prior to the shooting and targeted the Guardsmen.”

    Patel described the probe as a “coast-to-coast investigation,” and added that officials “are interviewing individuals at the suspect’s home and in San Diego.”

    Following the shooting, the Trump administration suspended processing all immigration requests from Afghans, according to a BBC report.

    The leader of a San Diego-based nonprofit that helps relocate and resettle Afghan allies said Thursday that the Afghan community “should not be scapegoated because of the shooting.”

    “Afghan wartime allies risked their lives for U.S. missions,” said Shawn VanDiver, president and board chairman of AfghanEvac. “This single act does not reflect Afghan values, AfghanEvac partners or the tens of thousands of Afghans building safe, productive lives in the U.S.

    “This individual’s case appears to be a tragic outlier — not a pattern,” he added. “Claims about `vetting failures’ are premature and not supported by evidence.”

    An Afghan group representative sent a statement that strongly condemn the shooting.

    “It is the isolated and irresponsible action of a single individual and in no way represents the Afghan community or the values of Afghan immigrants in the United States,” wrote Lal Gul Lal, on behalf of the Alliance of Afghan Communities in the United States.

    “First and foremost, we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the fallen service member and our prayers for the full recovery of the injured soldier,” Lal added.

    Updated at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 29, 2025

    –City News Service


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  • A look back at the biggest presidential Thanksgiving scandals, surprises

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    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Thanksgiving typically slows the news as Americans gather with family and friends. But the holiday also has a habit of amplifying Washington, D.C.’s political drama and surprises.

    Americans are no strangers to controversy and scandals, including a handful that have played out across the decades as citizens gathered around the dinner table for Thanksgiving or headed out for Black Friday shopping. 

    Fox News Digital took a look back at the biggest scandals and political events that rocked Washington, D.C., around the fall holiday. 

    5 FACTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THANKSGIVING YOU CAN SHARE BETWEEN BITES OF TURKEY THIS HOLIDAY

    Former President Richard Nixon delivered his famous “I am not a crook” line during a press event just ahead of Thanksgiving 1973.  (Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

    ‘I am not a crook’

    The Saturday before Thanksgiving in 1973, President Richard Nixon held a press conference in Orlando, Florida, where he famously said he was not a “crook” as the Watergate break-in and subsequent scandal came to light. 

    At the heart of the scandal were Nixon’s efforts to obstruct justice by directing a cover-up of the Watergate office complex break-in, including suppressing the FBI’s investigation, paying hush money and misusing federal agencies to shield his administration from scrutiny.

    As the scandal surrounding the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters heated up, Nixon defended himself in a televised Q&A with newspaper editors gathered at Walt Disney World for a convention. 

    “Let me just say this, and I want to say this to the television audience: I made my mistakes, but in all of my years of public life, I have never profited, never profited from public service. I have earned every cent,” Nixon said, initially answering questions about his personal finances. “And in all of my years of public life, I have never obstructed justice.

    “And I think, too, that I could say that in my years of public life, that I welcome this kind of examination, because people have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I am not a crook. I have earned everything I have got.” 

    Nixon resigned in August 1974 with an impeachment process underway and a grand jury prepared to indict him on charges of bribery, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and obstruction of a criminal investigation related to the Watergate cover-up. 

    Nixon was later pardoned and did not face any federal prosecution in the matter. 

    Reagan seen fielding questions from the media during the Iran-Contra scandal

    President Ronald W. Reagan speaking to the press during the Iran–Contra hearings.  (Diana Walker/Getty Images)

    Iran–Contra breaks open

    Details unraveled about the Iran–Contra affair in the early days of November 1986 before crescendoing the week of Thanksgiving, including then-President Ronald Reagan dismissing Lt. Col. Oliver North and announcing the resignation of National Security Advisor John Poindexter two days before the holiday. 

    News began to percolate overseas in early November 1986 that the U.S. made a secret arms sale to Iran to secure the release of American hostages held in Lebanon. U.S. officials later divulged the funds from the deal were used to fund an anti-communist rebel group in Nicaragua called the Contras. 

    Two days before Thanksgiving, Reagan announced he had dismissed North from the National Security Council, with Poindexter resigning that same day. On Thanksgiving eve, Reagan announced the creation of a Special Review Board to review the National Security Council’s role in the deal, later known as the Tower Commission. 

    MEET THE AMERICAN WHO GAVE THE NATION OUR FIRST THANKSGIVING ORIGIN STORY: PILGRIM EDWARD WINSLOW

    The fallout from the report continued over the holiday and even into the George H.W. Bush administration, when the president granted pardons to a handful of individuals involved on Christmas Eve 1992. 

    Bill Clinton seen speaking the media

    President Bill Clinton answered the House Judiciary committee’s 81 questions as part of its impeachment inquiry the day after Thanksgiving in 1998.  ( Diana Walker HC/Contour by Getty Images)

    Clinton’s impeachment heats up 

    While many Americans were out shopping on Black Friday in 1998, the Clinton White House delivered President Bill Clinton’s written responses to 81 questions from House Judiciary related to his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky as part of an impeachment inquiry. 

    Clinton already had declared to the nation that he “did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky” in January 1998, and the House authorized an impeachment inquiry in October that intensified around the Thanksgiving holiday. The Judiciary had sent Clinton 81 questions that focused on his relationship with Lewinsky based on independent counsel Kenneth Starr’s report that included evidence related to the affair allegations. 

    Clinton returned the 81 questions on Black Friday, which included questions about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky and his conduct in the Paula Jones case, which accused him of sexual harassment in 1994. Judiciary Republicans accused Clinton of playing “word games” in his responses, which included Clinton denying he committed perjury or obstructing justice, and the impeachment inquiry continued. 

    TRUMP, DEMOCRATS LOCKED IN ENDLESS CYCLES OF PAYBACK AFTER COMEY INDICTMENT AND TARGETING PRESIDENT’S ENEMIES

    The House ultimately impeached Clinton on charges of perjury to a grand jury and obstruction of justice related to his efforts to conceal the affair with an intern, while the Senate voted to acquit Clinton on both articles of impeachment. 

    President Bush holding a turkey in Iraq

    President George W. Bush traveled to Iraq in 2003 to meet with troops without the public’s knowledge.  (Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images)

    Bush’s secret Thanksgiving trip to Iraq 

    In a more light-hearted Thanksgiving political event, President George W. Bush quietly traveled to Iraq in 2003 to meet with the troops stationed in Baghdad. The visit, cloaked in secrecy until he was there, marked the first time a sitting president visited Iraq. 

    AMERICA’S ‘UNIQUE’ THANKSGIVING STUFFING PREFERENCES STATE-BY-STATE

    “Our planners worked to answer every question,” Bush said at the time about the intense planning for the trip. “I had a lot of questions.”

    Bush was on the ground for over two hours before he made the trip back to the U.S. The trip set off some claims that the president was working for a political gain ahead of the 2004 election, while the administration brushed off such claims while stressing the commander in chief’s visit was focused on supporting the troops amid a war. 

    Trump in the Oval Office

    President Donald Trump pardoned former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn the day ahead of Thanksgiving in 2020.  (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

    Trump pardons Michael Flynn

    Just after 4 p.m. on the eve of Thanksgiving in 2020, Trump announced he delivered a full pardon to his former national security advisor, retired Army Gen. Michael Flynn.

    The White House later in the day released a statement saying Flynn “should never have been prosecuted” and that the pardon ends “the relentless, partisan pursuit of an innocent man.”

    TRUMP ISSUES SWEEPING PARDONS FOR 2020 ELECTION ALLIES — WHAT THE MOVE REALLY MEANS

    “While today’s action sets right an injustice against an innocent man and an American hero, it should also serve as a reminder to all of us that we must remain vigilant over those in whom we place our trust and confidence,” the statement continued.

    The pardon ended a yearslong legal battle stemming from then-special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Flynn’s pardon was preceded by his 2017 guilty plea for lying to the FBI about contacts with Russia. He also had admitted to filing paperwork under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. His sentencing, however, was stalled due to his cooperation with authorities. 

    In 2019, Flynn claimed he was innocent in the case and sought to withdraw his guilty plea, citing alleged government misconduct. 

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    The Department of Justice was in the midst of moving to dismiss the case when Trump pardoned Flynn. 

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  • Trump announces death of National Guard member after shooting, ramps up scrutiny of refugees

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    President Donald Trump announced the death of one National Guard member on Thanksgiving and said another is still “fighting for his life.” Police say both soldiers were shot while on patrol down the street from the White House on Wednesday. Trump announced the death of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old from West Virginia, during a call with troops on Thursday night. The White House says the president spoke with Beckstrom’s parents later that evening.”She was savagely attacked. She’s dead, not with us. An incredible person, outstanding in every single way, in every department. It’s horrible,” Trump said on the call with troops. The charges against the alleged shooter are now expected to be upgraded to first-degree murder. The Justice Department has also suggested that it will seek the death penalty. “The death penalty is back,” Attorney General Pam Bondi posted Thursday night. FBI Director Kash Patel said the shooting is also being investigated as an act of terrorism. Authorities say Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot in a targeted attack, although a motive has not been revealed. The alleged shooter has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old from Afghanistan. “What we know about him is that he drove his vehicle across the country from the state of Washington with the intended target of coming to our nation’s capital,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said at a press conference on Thursday morning.The Associated Press reports that Lakanwal was approved for asylum under the Trump administration, but officials say he first entered the country through a Biden administration resettlement program after the U.S. withdrew from the war in Afghanistan. Before arriving in America, Lakanwal worked with the CIA, according to John Ratcliffe, the spy agency’s director. Ratcliffe said the relationship ended shortly after the evacuation of U.S. service members.”We are fully investigating that aspect of his background as well to include any known associates that are either overseas or here in the United States of America,” FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday. Asked about the CIA connection and the screening procedures involved with that, President Trump continued to insist that the alleged shooter entered the U.S. unvetted.”He went nuts,” Trump said. “It happens too often with these people.”In a statement, the group #AfghanEvac, which assists with the resettlement process, said Afghan immigrants and wartime allies “undergo some of the most extensive security vetting of any population entering the country.” “This individual’s isolated and violent act should not be used as an excuse to define or diminish an entire community,” #AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver said. After the shooting, Trump said his administration would be reviewing every Afghan who entered the country under the Biden administration. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has indefinitely paused processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals, “pending further review of security and vetting protocols.” On Thursday, USCIS also said there would be “a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.” Additionally, the agency released new guidance outlining new vetting standards for prospective immigrants from “19 high-risk countries.”Meanwhile, Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric in a social media post just before midnight Thursday, promising to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.”Trump said he would terminate what he described as illegal admissions under the Biden administration, end all federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens, and “denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility.” “HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long,” Trump said.

    WASHINGTON —

    President Donald Trump announced the death of one National Guard member on Thanksgiving and said another is still “fighting for his life.” Police say both soldiers were shot while on patrol down the street from the White House on Wednesday.

    Trump announced the death of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old from West Virginia, during a call with troops on Thursday night. The White House says the president spoke with Beckstrom’s parents later that evening.

    “She was savagely attacked. She’s dead, not with us. An incredible person, outstanding in every single way, in every department. It’s horrible,” Trump said on the call with troops.

    The charges against the alleged shooter are now expected to be upgraded to first-degree murder. The Justice Department has also suggested that it will seek the death penalty.

    “The death penalty is back,” Attorney General Pam Bondi posted Thursday night.

    FBI Director Kash Patel said the shooting is also being investigated as an act of terrorism.

    Authorities say Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot in a targeted attack, although a motive has not been revealed.

    The alleged shooter has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old from Afghanistan.

    “What we know about him is that he drove his vehicle across the country from the state of Washington with the intended target of coming to our nation’s capital,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said at a press conference on Thursday morning.

    The Associated Press reports that Lakanwal was approved for asylum under the Trump administration, but officials say he first entered the country through a Biden administration resettlement program after the U.S. withdrew from the war in Afghanistan.

    Before arriving in America, Lakanwal worked with the CIA, according to John Ratcliffe, the spy agency’s director. Ratcliffe said the relationship ended shortly after the evacuation of U.S. service members.

    “We are fully investigating that aspect of his background as well to include any known associates that are either overseas or here in the United States of America,” FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday.

    Asked about the CIA connection and the screening procedures involved with that, President Trump continued to insist that the alleged shooter entered the U.S. unvetted.

    “He went nuts,” Trump said. “It happens too often with these people.”

    In a statement, the group #AfghanEvac, which assists with the resettlement process, said Afghan immigrants and wartime allies “undergo some of the most extensive security vetting of any population entering the country.”

    “This individual’s isolated and violent act should not be used as an excuse to define or diminish an entire community,” #AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver said.

    After the shooting, Trump said his administration would be reviewing every Afghan who entered the country under the Biden administration. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has indefinitely paused processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals, “pending further review of security and vetting protocols.”

    On Thursday, USCIS also said there would be “a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.” Additionally, the agency released new guidance outlining new vetting standards for prospective immigrants from “19 high-risk countries.”

    Meanwhile, Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric in a social media post just before midnight Thursday, promising to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.”

    Trump said he would terminate what he described as illegal admissions under the Biden administration, end all federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens, and “denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility.”

    “HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long,” Trump said.

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  • FBI: Suspected D.C. shooter had S.D. connection, could face death penalty

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    Streets are blocked after two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington. (Photo by Anthony Peltier/Associated Press)

    Federal authorities Friday are considering the death penalty for a man with San Diego connections who is suspected of shooting two members of a West Virginia National Guard unit in Washington, D.C. — killing one and critically injuring the other.

    During a series of media appearances on Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters she would seek the death penalty against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021. According to ABC News, Lakanwal applied for asylum in 2024 and it was granted in April under the Trump administration.

    “I will tell you right now, I will tell you early, we will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that monster who should not have been in our country,” Bondi said in interviews before it was learned that one of the Guard members, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries.

    The other Guardsman, Private First Class Andrew Wolfe, 24, was listed in critical condition after undergoing surgery, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

    FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters, “a search warrant had been executed at the suspect’s last known address in Washington state. Based on what was found at the address, law enforcement was able to find people associated with him in San Diego.”

    “During that process, we seized numerous electronic devices to include cell phones, laptops, iPads and other material that is being analyzed as we speak,” Patel continued. “… Interviews were conducted and are going to be continue to be conducted, and we will go anywhere in the country or the world where the evidence leads us.”

    In an emailed response Thursday, a spokesperson for the FBI’s San Diego office did not provide further details about the case, and referred media outlets to “remarks made during the (earlier) press conference.”

    On Wednesday afternoon, a man now identified as Lakanwal shot the two members of the West Virginia National Guard “in an ambush-style attack” in the nation’s capital.

    Beckstrom died later Thursday, officials said.

    “A few moments ago, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom passed away from the injuries sustained during yesterday’s horrific shooting,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey posted Thursday on X. “This is not the result we hoped for, but it is the result we all feared,

    “Sarah served with courage, extraordinary resolve and an unwavering sense of duty to her state and to her nation,” Morrisey wrote. “She answered the call to serve, stepped forward willingly, and carried out her mission with the strength and character that define the very best of the West Virginia National Guard.

    “Today, we honor her bravery and her sacrifice as we mourn the loss of a young woman who gave everything she had in defense of others. We will forever hold her family, her friends and her fellow Guardsmen in our prayers as they grieve what no family should ever have to bear.”

    The shooter is believed to have acted alone.

    CBS reported that CIA officials said Lakanwal “previously worked with the U.S. government, including the CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar that ended in 2021 following the withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

    In addition to the possibility of the death penalty, federal officials said Lakanwal will be charged with three counts of assault with the intent to kill while armed and criminal possession of a weapon.

    Officials said Lakanwal — who is married and has five children — “drove from his residence in (Bellingham) Washington state to the nation’s capital prior to the shooting and targeted the Guardsmen.”

    Patel described the probe as a “coast-to-coast investigation,” and added that officials “are interviewing individuals at the suspect’s home and in San Diego.”

    Following the shooting, the Trump administration suspended processing all immigration requests from Afghans, according to a BBC report.

    The leader of a San Diego-based nonprofit that helps relocate and resettle Afghan allies said Thursday that the Afghan community “should not be scapegoated because of the shooting.”

    “Afghan wartime allies risked their lives for U.S. missions,” said Shawn VanDiver, president and board chairman of AfghanEvac. “This single act does not reflect Afghan values, AfghanEvac partners or the tens of thousands of Afghans building safe, productive lives in the U.S.

    “This individual’s case appears to be a tragic outlier — not a pattern,” he added. “Claims about `vetting failures’ are premature and not supported by evidence.”

    An Afghan group representative sent a statement that strongly condemn the shooting.

    “It is the isolated and irresponsible action of a single individual and in no way represents the Afghan community or the values of Afghan immigrants in the United States,” wrote Lal Gul Lal, on behalf of the Alliance of Afghan Communities in the United States.

    “First and foremost, we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the fallen service member and our prayers for the full recovery of the injured soldier,” Lal added.

    Updated at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 29, 2025

    –City News Service


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  • Trump unveils ‘reverse migration’ plan to halt ‘Third World’ immigration, revoke Biden-era entries

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    President Donald Trump used a late-night Thanksgiving post on Truth Social to outline what he called a “reverse migration” plan, pledging a permanent halt to immigration from what he described as “Third World Countries” and a sweeping rollback of Biden-era admissions.

    Trump said his administration would pause all migration from nations he labels “Third World,” revoke what he claimed were “millions” of Biden-era admissions — “including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen” — and remove foreign nationals he deems public charges, security risks, or “non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

    He argued that the U.S. immigration system has been overwhelmed and said his approach would allow it to “fully recover.” Trump also vowed to end federal benefits for noncitizens, denaturalize migrants accused of undermining “domestic tranquility,” and expand deportations.

    LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDING AFTER 2 NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS SHOT NEAR WHITE HOUSE

    Streets are blocked after reports that two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.  (AP Photo/Anthony Peltier)

    Trump’s comments come after two National Guard members were shot just blocks from the White House in what officials called a “targeted” attack. One of the guardsman, Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of West Virginia, has died, Trump announced earlier on Thursday.

    NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER SARAG BECKSTROM DEAD AFTER DC SHOOTING: ‘HIGHLY RESPECTED’

    Sarah Beckstrom

    President Trump announced Thursday that National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of West Virginia, has died after she and another guardsman were shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. (District of Columbia National Guard via X)

    The president said the second service member wounded in the attack, Andrew Wolfe, 24, is still “fighting for his life.”

    The suspected gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is also in serious condition.

    Photo of National Guard shooting suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal

    Undated file photo of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in the shooting of  two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., November 26, 2025. (Provided by Department of Justice)

    Lakanwal entered the U.S. legally in 2021 under humanitarian parole as part of the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

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    Trump ended his social media post with a stern warning: “Other than that, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long!”

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  • Afghan national charged in Guard ambush shooting drove across US to carry out attack, officials say – WTOP News

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    Federal officials say the suspect drove cross-country from Washington state to D.C. before the attack and faces assault and weapons charges. The two National Guard members remain in critical condition.

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    Afghan national charged with shooting 2 National Guard members in DC

    Listen live on 103.5 FM and on WTOP.com for the latest coverage of this developing story. 

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said that one of the two West Virginia National Guard members shot by an Afghan national near the White House had died, calling the shooter who had worked with the CIA in his native country a “savage monster.”

    As part of his Thanksgiving call to U.S. troops, Trump said that he had just learned that Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, had died, while Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was “fighting for his life.”

    “She’s just passed away,” Trump said. “She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her.”

    The president called Beckstrom an “incredible person, outstanding in every single way.”

    Trump used the announcement to say the shooting was a “terrorist attack” as he criticized the Biden administration for enabling Afghans who worked with U.S. forces during the Afghanistan War to enter the U.S. without sufficient vetting. The president has deployed National Guard members in part to assist in his administration’s mass deportation efforts.

    “This atrocity reminds us that we have no greater national security priority than ensuring that we have full control over the people that enter and remain in our country,” Trump said. “For the most part, we don’t want them.”

    THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

    WASHINGTON (AP) — An Afghan national who worked with the CIA in his native country and immigrated to the U.S. in 2021 drove from Washington state to the nation’s capital where he shot two West Virginia National Guard members deployed in Washington, D.C., U.S. officials said Thursday.

    The suspect had worked in a special CIA-backed Afghan Army unit before emigrating from Afghanistan, according to two sources who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, and #AfghanEvac, a group that helps resettle Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the two-decade war.

    Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, declined to provide a motive for Wednesday afternoon’s brazen act of violence which occurred just blocks from the White House. The presence of troops in the nation’s capital and other cities around the country has become a political flashpoint.

    Pirro identified the guard members at a news conference as Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24. The West Virginia National Guard said both had been deployed in D.C. since August. Both remained hospitalized in critical condition on Thursday, while the office of West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said he met with the victims and their families and other guard members.

    The Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Webster Springs, where Beckstrom is from, will hold three prayer vigils Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, according to a Facebook post from the Webster County Veterans Auxiliary.

    Pirro said that the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, launched an “ambush-style” attack with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. The suspect currently faces charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Pirro said that “it’s too soon to say” what the suspect’s motives were.

    The charges could be upgraded, Pirro said, adding: “We are praying that they survive and that the highest charge will not have to be murder in the first degree. But make no mistake, if they do not, that will certainly be the charge.”

    The rare shooting of National Guard members on American soil, on the eve of Thanksgiving, comes amid court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.

    Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops. The order expired a month later. But the troops have remained in the city, where nearly 2,200 troops currently are assigned, according to the government’s latest update.

    The guard members have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and been assigned to pick up trash and guard sports events. The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington following Wednesday’s shooting.

    The suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

    Suspect worked with CIA during Afghanistan War

    A resident of the eastern Afghan province of Khost who identified himself as Lakanwal’s cousin said Lakanwal was originally from the province and that he and his brother had worked in a special Afghan Army unit known as Zero Units in the southern province of Kandahar. A former official from the unit, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said Lakanwal was a team leader and his brother was a platoon leader.

    The cousin spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. He said Lakanwal had started out working as a security guard for the unit in 2012, and was later promoted to become a team leader and a GPS specialist.

    Kandahar is in the Taliban heartland of the country. It saw fierce fighting between the Taliban and NATO forces after the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 following the al-Qaida attacks on Sept. 11. The CIA relied on Afghan staff for translation, administrative and front-line fighting with their own paramilitary officers in the war.

    Zero Units were paramilitary units manned by Afghans but backed by the CIA and also served in front-line fighting with CIA paramilitary officers. Activists had attributed abuses to the units. They played a key role in the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country, providing security around Kabul International Airport as the Americans and withdrew from the country.

    CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement that Lakanwal’s relationship with the U.S. government “ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation” of U.S. servicemembers from Afghanistan.

    Lakanwal, 29, entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country, officials said. Lakanwal applied for asylum during the Biden administration, but his asylum was approved under the Trump administration, #AfghanEvac said in a statement.

    The initiative brought roughly 76,000 people to the U.S., many of whom had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators. It has since faced intense scrutiny from Trump and others over allegations of gaps in the vetting process, even as advocates say there was extensive vetting and the program offered a lifeline to people at risk of Taliban reprisals.

    Lakanwal has been living in Bellingham, Washington, about 79 miles (127 kilometers) north of Seattle, with his wife and five children, said his former landlord, Kristina Widman.

    Wednesday night, in a video message released on social media, President Donald Trump called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration.

    The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, said in a social media post Thursday that Trump directed him to review the green cards of people from countries “of concern.”

    Edlow didn’t name the countries. But in June, the administration banned travel to the U.S. by citizens of 12 countries and restricted access from seven others, citing national security concerns. Green card holders and Afghans who worked for the U.S. government or its allies in Afghanistan were listed as exempt.

    Attack being investigated as terrorist act

    FBI Director Kash Patel said the shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism. Agents have served a series of search warrants, with Patel calling it a “coast-to-coast investigation.”

    Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, has previously questioned the effectiveness of using the National Guard to enforce city laws. Last week, a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment there, but the judge also paused her order for 21 days to allow the administration to remove the troops or appeal.

    On Thursday, Bowser interpreted the shooting as a direct assault on America itself, rather than specifically on Trump’s policies.

    “Somebody drove across the country and came to Washington, D.C., to attack America,” Bowser said. “That person will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

    ___

    This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of the suspect’s name. It is Lakanwal, not Lakamal or Lakanmal.

    ___

    Associated Press journalists Siddiqullah Alizai, Elena Becatoros, Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Gary Fields, Safiyah Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker, Jesse Bedayn, Josh Boak, Evan Vucci, Nathan Ellgren, John Raby, Hallie Golden, Michael R. Sisak and John Seewer contributed.

    Copyright
    © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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  • What we do and don’t know about the shooting of 2 National Guard members in DC – WTOP News

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    The brazen daytime shooting of two National Guard members in the nation’s capital by a man authorities said is an Afghan national has raised multiple questions.

    Listen live on 103.5 FM and on WTOP.com for the latest coverage of this developing story. 

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The brazen daytime shooting of two National Guard members in the nation’s capital by a man authorities said is an Afghan national has raised multiple questions.

    That includes the condition of the wounded troops and details about the suspect and his motive for the attack a day before Thanksgiving.

    Here’s what we know so far, and what we don’t know:

    Condition of the National Guard members

    FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the two Guard members were hospitalized in critical condition.

    They belong to the West Virginia National Guard, which deployed hundreds of troops to the nation’s capital as part of President Donald Trump’s crime-fighting mission that involved taking over the local police department.

    There were nearly 2,200 Guard members in D.C. for the mission.

    Unknown so far are the names and more details about the two troops who were wounded.

    West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially posted on social media that two of his state’s Guard members were killed. He later walked that back, saying his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition. Morrisey has not elaborated.

    How the attack unfolded

    Bowser called the attack a “targeted shooting.”

    Jeffery Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said video reviewed by investigators showed the assailant “came around the corner” and immediately started firing at the troops. The suspect opened fire with a revolver, according to a law enforcement official.

    At least one Guard member exchanged gunfire with the shooter, another law enforcement official said. Both were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

    Troops ran over and held down the shooter, Carroll said, and he was taken into custody. Authorities believe he was the only gunman.

    Carroll said that it was not clear whether one of the Guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect and that investigators so far had no information on a motive.

    The suspect’s wounds were not believed to be life-threatening, one of the officials said.

    The suspect and his pathway to the US

    The suspect is believed to be a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021 and has been living in Washington state, two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

    He came to the U.S. through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country, officials said.

    Law enforcement identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities were still working to fully confirm his background, they said. The people could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

    Lakamal arrived in Bellingham, Washington, about four years ago with his wife and five children, according to his former landlord Kristina Widman.

    They were among about 800 Afghan refugees that settled in Washington state under Operation Allies Welcome with the financial support of the U.S. government. Among those that partnered with federal agencies to sponsor the Afghan families was World Relief, a faith-based group that helped the refugees with finding housing, employment training and language classes as they settled in the Seattle area.

    It’s unclear how Lakanwal might have traveled to the nation’s capital, which is about 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) away.

    More National Guard troops

    Soon after the shooting, Trump said he would send 500 more National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. It’s not clear where the additional troops would come from.

    As of early November, the D.C. National Guard had the largest number on the ground with 949. In addition to West Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama also had forces in the capital early this month.

    A federal judge last week ordered an end to the Guard deployment but also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to either remove the troops or appeal.

    ___

    Associated Press journalists Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker, Michael R. Sisak, Mike Balsamo, Michael Biesecker and Jesse Bedayn contributed to this report.

    Copyright
    © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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  • Two National Guard members shot just blocks from the White House; suspect in custody

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    Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot Wednesday afternoon just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the mayor described as a targeted attack.FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said they were hospitalized in critical condition.The rare shooting of National Guard members, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes as the presence of the troops in the nation’s capital and other cities around the country has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.A suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.The 29-year-old suspect, an Afghan national, entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country, officials said.The initiative brought roughly 76,000 people to the U.S., many of whom had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators. It has since faced intense scrutiny from Trump and his allies, congressional Republicans and some government watchdogs over gaps in the vetting process and the speed of admissions, even as advocates say it offered a lifeline to people at risk of Taliban reprisals.The suspect, who has been living in Washington state, has been identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities were still working to fully confirm his background, two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter said. The people could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.Lakamal arrived in Bellingham, Washington, about 79 miles north of Seattle, with his wife and five children, said his former landlord Kristina Widman.Wednesday night, in a video message released on social media, President Donald Trump called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration.“If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them,” he said, adding that the shooting was “a crime against our entire nation.”Jeffery Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said investigators had no information on a motive. He said the assailant “came around the corner” and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.“This was a targeted shooting,” Bowser said.West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said the troops had died, but he later walked that statement back to say his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition.The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump asked him to send the troops.Nearly 2,200 troops are currently assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government’s latest update. Troops held down the shooterThe shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station. Hearing gunfire, other troops in the area ran over and held down the gunman after he was shot, Carroll said.”It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Carroll said, adding that it was not clear whether one of the guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect.”At this point we have no other suspects,” Carroll said at a news conference.At least one of the guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Social media video shared in the immediate aftermath showed first responders performing CPR on one of the troops and treating the other on a glass-covered sidewalk.Witnesses saw people fleeingStacy Walters said she was in a car when she heard two gunshots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. “It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this? And we’re getting ready for the holidays?”Emma McDonald, who exited a metro station just after the shots were fired, said she and a friend sought safety with others in a cafe. McDonald told AP that minutes later, she saw first responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood.Police tape cordoned off the scene, and fire and police vehicle lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were there, and National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.“I think it’s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they’re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,” Vice President JD Vance said in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, scrapped plans to spend the holiday with troops at Guantanamo Bay in order to travel to D.C. and be with guard members there instead.Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said on social media that he visited the wounded National Guard members in the hospital and that his “heart breaks for them.”Trump vows that shooter will payTrump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.Last week a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment, but she also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the administration time to either remove the troops or appeal.Video below: President Donald Trump condemned Wednesday’s National Guard shooting as a “heinous assault”The guard members have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and been assigned to pick up trash and guard sports events.More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed in August. About 160 of them volunteered last week to extend their deployment until the end of the year, while the others returned home just over a week ago.___Associated Press journalists Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Safiyah Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker, Jesse Bedayn, Evan Vucci, Nathan Ellgren, John Raby, Hallie Golden, Michael R. Sisak and John Seewer contributed.

    Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot Wednesday afternoon just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the mayor described as a targeted attack.

    FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said they were hospitalized in critical condition.

    The rare shooting of National Guard members, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes as the presence of the troops in the nation’s capital and other cities around the country has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.

    A suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

    The 29-year-old suspect, an Afghan national, entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country, officials said.

    The initiative brought roughly 76,000 people to the U.S., many of whom had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators. It has since faced intense scrutiny from Trump and his allies, congressional Republicans and some government watchdogs over gaps in the vetting process and the speed of admissions, even as advocates say it offered a lifeline to people at risk of Taliban reprisals.

    The suspect, who has been living in Washington state, has been identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities were still working to fully confirm his background, two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter said. The people could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

    Lakamal arrived in Bellingham, Washington, about 79 miles north of Seattle, with his wife and five children, said his former landlord Kristina Widman.

    Wednesday night, in a video message released on social media, President Donald Trump called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration.

    “If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them,” he said, adding that the shooting was “a crime against our entire nation.”

    Jeffery Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said investigators had no information on a motive. He said the assailant “came around the corner” and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.

    “This was a targeted shooting,” Bowser said.

    West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said the troops had died, but he later walked that statement back to say his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition.

    The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump asked him to send the troops.

    Nearly 2,200 troops are currently assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government’s latest update.

    Troops held down the shooter

    The shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station. Hearing gunfire, other troops in the area ran over and held down the gunman after he was shot, Carroll said.

    “It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Carroll said, adding that it was not clear whether one of the guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect.

    “At this point we have no other suspects,” Carroll said at a news conference.

    At least one of the guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

    Social media video shared in the immediate aftermath showed first responders performing CPR on one of the troops and treating the other on a glass-covered sidewalk.

    Witnesses saw people fleeing

    Stacy Walters said she was in a car when she heard two gunshots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. “It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this? And we’re getting ready for the holidays?”

    Emma McDonald, who exited a metro station just after the shots were fired, said she and a friend sought safety with others in a cafe. McDonald told AP that minutes later, she saw first responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood.

    Police tape cordoned off the scene, and fire and police vehicle lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were there, and National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.

    “I think it’s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they’re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,” Vice President JD Vance said in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.

    Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, scrapped plans to spend the holiday with troops at Guantanamo Bay in order to travel to D.C. and be with guard members there instead.

    Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said on social media that he visited the wounded National Guard members in the hospital and that his “heart breaks for them.”

    Trump vows that shooter will pay

    Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.

    Last week a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment, but she also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the administration time to either remove the troops or appeal.

    Video below: President Donald Trump condemned Wednesday’s National Guard shooting as a “heinous assault”

    The guard members have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and been assigned to pick up trash and guard sports events.

    More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed in August. About 160 of them volunteered last week to extend their deployment until the end of the year, while the others returned home just over a week ago.
    ___

    Associated Press journalists Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Safiyah Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker, Jesse Bedayn, Evan Vucci, Nathan Ellgren, John Raby, Hallie Golden, Michael R. Sisak and John Seewer contributed.

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  • Trump says lax migration policies are top national security threat after National Guard members shot – WTOP News

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    President Donald Trump’s remarks, released in a video on social media, underscores his intention to reshape the country’s immigration system and increase scrutiny of migrants who are already here.

    Listen live on 103.5 FM and on WTOP.com for the latest coverage of this developing story. 

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday’s “heinous assault” on two National Guard members near the White House proves that lax migration policies are “the single greatest national security threat facing our nation.”

    “No country can tolerate such a risk to our very survival,” he said.

    Trump’s remarks, released in a video on social media, underscores his intention to reshape the country’s immigration system and increase scrutiny of migrants who are already here. With aggressive deportation efforts already underway, his response to the shooting showed that his focus will not waver.

    The suspect in the shooting is believed to be an Afghan national, according to Trump and two law enforcement officials. He entered the United States in September 2021, after the chaotic collapse of the government in Kabul, when Americans were frantically evacuating people as the Taliban took control.

    The 29-year-old suspect was part of Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden-era program that resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country, officials said. The initiative brought roughly 76,000 Afghans to the United States, many of whom had worked alongside American troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators.

    It has since faced intense scrutiny from Trump and his allies, congressional Republicans and some government watchdogs over gaps in the vetting process and the speed of admissions, even as advocates say it offered a lifeline to people at risk of Taliban reprisals.

    Trump described Afghanistan as “a hellhole on earth,” and he said his administration would review everyone who entered from the country under President Joe Biden — a measure his administration had already been planning before the incident.

    During his remarks, Trump also swung his focus to Minnesota, where he complained about “hundreds of thousands of Somalians” who are “ripping apart that once-great state.”

    Minnesota has the country’s largest Somali community, roughly 87,000 people. Many came as refugees over the years.

    The reference to immigrants with no connection to Wednesday’s developments was a reminder of the scope of Trump’s ambitions to rein in migration.

    Administration officials have been ramping up deportations of people in the country illegally, as well as clamping down on refugee admissions. The focus has involved the realignment of resources at federal agencies, stirring concern about potentially undermining other law enforcement priorities.

    However, Trump’s remarks were a signal that scrutiny of migrants and the nation’s borders will only increase. He said he wants to remove anyone “who does not belong here or does not add benefit to our country.”

    “If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them,” Trump added.

    Afterward, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it would indefinitely stop processing all immigration requests for Afghan nationals pending a review of security and vetting protocols.

    Supporters of Afghan evacuees said they feared that people who escaped danger from the Taliban would now face renewed suspicion and scrutiny.

    “I don’t want people to leverage this tragedy into a political ploy,” said Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac.

    He said Wednesday’s shooting should not shed a negative light on the tens of thousands of Afghan nationals who have gone through the various legal pathways to resettling in the U.S. and those who await in the pipeline.

    Under Operation Allies Welcome, tens of thousands of Afghans were first brought to U.S. military bases around the country, where they completed immigration processing and medical evaluations before settling into the country. Four years later, there are still scores of Afghans who were evacuated at transit points in the Middle East and Europe as part of the program.

    Those in countries like Qatar and Albania, who have undergone the rigorous process, have been left in limbo since Trump entered his second term and paused the program as part of his series of executive actions cracking down on immigration.

    Vice President JD Vance, writing on social media, criticized Biden for “opening the floodgate to unvetted Afghan refugees,” adding that “they shouldn’t have been in our country.”

    “Already some voices in corporate media chirp that our immigration policies are too harsh,” he said. “Tonight is a reminder of why they’re wrong.”

    ___

    Amiri reported from New York. Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

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    © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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  • White House blasts MS NOW correspondent’s ‘beyond sick’ reaction to DC shooting of National Guardsmen

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    The White House is taking aim at MS NOW correspondent Ken Dilanian over his initial reaction to Wednesday’s shooting of National Guard troops in Washington D.C. 

    Dilanian appeared during the network’s breaking news coverage and was asked about the environment in D.C. since President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard earlier this year. He responded by noting how the National Guard’s presence has been normalized, and it was no longer seen as controversial after D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser embraced the deployment. 

    He then pivoted to the political climate around the country. 

    “Of course, you know, there’s so much controversy happening in the United States right now with ICE, who are also wearing uniforms and wearing masks,” Dilanian told MS NOW’s Katy Tur. “And so there’s — you don’t know — people walking around with uniforms in an American city. There are some Americans that might object to that. And so apparently this shooting has happened.”

    2 NATIONAL GUARDSMEN CRITICALLY WOUNDED IN ‘TARGETED SHOOTING’ BLOCKS FROM WHITE HOUSE

    MS NOW correspondent Ken Dilanian was slammed by critics for his commentary about the shooting of National Guardsmen in Washington D.C. (Screenshot/MS NOW)

    Tur and Dilanian also questioned the legality of the National Guard deployment in D.C., citing a federal judge’s ruling that it was unlawful, which the Trump administration is appealing. 

    The White House’s rapid response team slammed Dilanian’s comments on social media. 

    “@KDilanianMSNOW, two heroes were just shot protecting our nation’s capital — and this is your takeaway?” the White House wrote on X.

    “Democrats have relentlessly demonized these Patriots, calling them ‘illegal’ and even suggesting THEY might start shooting Americans. Get help. You are beyond sick,” the White House added.

    WHITE HOUSE CALLS MS NOW STORY ABOUT TRUMP CONSIDERING FIRING KASH PATEL ‘COMPLETELY MADE UP’

    National Guard DC shooting

    Law-enforcement officers secure the area after a shooting in downtown Washington, on November 26, 2025. On November 26, Police in Washington said they had detained a suspect after two National Guard troops were shot blocks away from the White House. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

    MSNBC TO MS NOW: WHAT’S BEHIND THE NETWORK’S BRANDING MAKEOVER?

    Other critics slammed the MS NOW correspondent.

    “MS NOW is about to have to rebrand again. This is truly disgusting,” Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet reacted.

    “How about blaming the murderer,” former ESPN reporter Ed Werder suggested.

    “Ken Dilanian is a disgusting individual,” Red State writer Bonchie posted.

    A spokesperson for MS NOW declined to comment. 

    Two National Guardsmen are in critical condition in what authorities call a targeted attack just blocks away from the White House. The gunman, who has not been identified, is in custody and is being treated for injuries. 

    U.S. Marshals and National Guard troops are seen after two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    U.S. Marshals and National Guard troops are seen after two National Guard soldiers were shot in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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    Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.

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  • Trump administration orders 500 more National Guard troops to DC after shooting of soldiers – WTOP News

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    Two National Guard soldiers were shot in D.C. near the White House and their conditions aren’t immediately known, according to a law enforcement official.

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    Listen live on 103.5 FM and on WTOP.com for the latest coverage of this developing story.

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot Wednesday just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence.

    FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the Guard members were hospitalized in critical condition. Bowser said they were victims of a ”targeted shooting.”

    West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said the troops had died, but later walked back the statement to say his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition. The governor’s office did not immediately respond to questions about the attack and the condition of the troops.

    A suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

    The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington following the shooting. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump asked him to send the extra soldiers.

    There are currently 2,188 troops assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government’s latest update.

    Law enforcement was reviewing surveillance video from the scene and believed the suspect approached the soldiers and pulled out a gun, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

    At least one of the soldiers exchanged gunfire with the shooter, the official said. Investigators were trying to determine the gunman’s motive, including whether the suspect was targeting the troops for any specific reason, the official said.

    The shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House.

    Social media video shared in the immediate aftermath showed first responders attempting CPR on one of the soldiers and treating the other on a glass-covered sidewalk. Other officers could be seen steps away restraining an individual on the ground.

    Stacy Walters said she was in a car near the scene when she heard two gunshots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. “It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this? And we’re getting ready for the holidays?”

    The presence of the National Guard in the nation’s capital has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling a court fight and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.

    More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed to Washington in August. Last week, about 160 of them volunteered to extend their deployment until the end of the year while the others returned to West Virginia just over a week ago.

    Police tape cordoned off the scene where fire and police vehicle lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on scene, as National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.

    Trump, who was in Florida for Thanksgiving, warned in a statement on social media that the “animal” who shot the guardsmen “will pay a very steep price.”

    “God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”

    In Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Vice President JD Vance urged “everybody who’s a person of faith” to pray for the two Guardsmen. He cautioned that much remained unknown, including the motive of the shooter.

    “I think it’s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they’re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,” Vance said as he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.

    Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.

    Last week, a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment but also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to either remove the troops or appeal the decision.

    The soldiers have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and also have been assigned to trash pickup and to guard sports events.

    ___

    Associated Press reporters Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Safiyah Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker and Jesse Bedayn contributed to this report.

    Copyright
    © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

    Washington Metropolitan Police are seen after reports of two National Guard soldiers shot near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.
    (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    AP Photo/Evan Vucci

    ATF and Secret Service Police officers are seen after reports of two National Guard soldiers shot near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
    ATF and Secret Service Police officers are seen after reports of two National Guard soldiers shot near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.
    (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    AP Photo/Evan Vucci

    police investigating a shooting standing in the street
    Emergency personnel gather near where National Guard soldiers appear to have been shot near the White House Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Washington.
    (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

    AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

    national guard
    Members of the National Guard gather after reports of two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.
    (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

    AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

    national guard standing behind police tape
    National Guard are seen after reports of two National Guard soldiers shot near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.
    (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    AP Photo/Evan Vucci

    police standing by crime scene
    Emergency personnel cordon off an area near where National Guard soldiers appear to have been shot near the White House Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Washington.
    (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

    AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

    police block street investigating shooting
    Streets are blocked after reports of two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.
    (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    AP Photo/Evan Vucci

    police officer directing people around crime scene with hands up
    A Washington Metropolitan Police officer directs pedestrians after reports of two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.
    (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    AP Photo/Evan Vucci

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  • Two National Guard members shot and killed in Washington, DC

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    Two National Guard members were shot and killed Wednesday near the White House.They were members of the West Virginia National Guard. The state’s governor confirmed their deaths in a statement.”It is with great sorrow that we can confirm both members of the West Virginia National Guard who were shot earlier today in Washington, DC have passed away from their injuries,” Gov. Patrick Morrisey said. “These brave West Virginians lost their lives in the service of their country.”This is a breaking news story. AP’s earlier version is below.Two National Guard members were shot Wednesday near the White House and are in critical condition, according to a law enforcement official not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.A suspect who was in custody also was shot and has injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, the source said. One National Guard member was shot in the head, according to a person familiar with the details of the incident who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.Emergency medical responders transported all three victims to a hospital, according to Vito Maggiolo, the public information officer for the DC Fire and Emergency Services. The Joint DC Task Force confirmed they responded to the incident after reports of the shooting. The Metropolitan Police Department also said they were on-scene.The shooting happened at the corner of 17th and H Streets in the northwest quadrant of the city. Police tape cordoned off the scene where emergency fire and police vehicles’ lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the U.S. Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on scene, as National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.President Donald Trump, who is in Florida celebrating Thanksgiving, warned in a statement on social media that the “animal” who shot the guardsmen “will pay a very steep price.””God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”The presence of the National Guard in the nation’s capital has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling a court fight and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on social media that he was “closely monitoring” the shooting and that his “heart breaks for the victims of this horrific shooting.”A spokesperson for Mayor Muriel Bowser said that local leaders were actively monitoring the situation. Bowser had spent the morning at a Thanksgiving event at the Convention Center and then held a press conference to explain why she was not seeking reelection.Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later but the troops remained.The soldiers have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and also have been assigned to trash pickup and to guard sports events.Last week, a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment but also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to either remove the troops or appeal the decision.___Associated Press reporters Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Safiyah Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker and Jesse Bedayn contributed.

    Two National Guard members were shot and killed Wednesday near the White House.

    They were members of the West Virginia National Guard. The state’s governor confirmed their deaths in a statement.

    “It is with great sorrow that we can confirm both members of the West Virginia National Guard who were shot earlier today in Washington, DC have passed away from their injuries,” Gov. Patrick Morrisey said. “These brave West Virginians lost their lives in the service of their country.”

    This is a breaking news story. AP’s earlier version is below.

    Two National Guard members were shot Wednesday near the White House and are in critical condition, according to a law enforcement official not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

    A suspect who was in custody also was shot and has injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, the source said. One National Guard member was shot in the head, according to a person familiar with the details of the incident who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

    Emergency medical responders transported all three victims to a hospital, according to Vito Maggiolo, the public information officer for the DC Fire and Emergency Services. The Joint DC Task Force confirmed they responded to the incident after reports of the shooting. The Metropolitan Police Department also said they were on-scene.

    The shooting happened at the corner of 17th and H Streets in the northwest quadrant of the city. Police tape cordoned off the scene where emergency fire and police vehicles’ lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the U.S. Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on scene, as National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.

    President Donald Trump, who is in Florida celebrating Thanksgiving, warned in a statement on social media that the “animal” who shot the guardsmen “will pay a very steep price.”

    “God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”

    The presence of the National Guard in the nation’s capital has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling a court fight and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on social media that he was “closely monitoring” the shooting and that his “heart breaks for the victims of this horrific shooting.”

    A spokesperson for Mayor Muriel Bowser said that local leaders were actively monitoring the situation. Bowser had spent the morning at a Thanksgiving event at the Convention Center and then held a press conference to explain why she was not seeking reelection.

    Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later but the troops remained.

    The soldiers have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and also have been assigned to trash pickup and to guard sports events.

    Last week, a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment but also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to either remove the troops or appeal the decision.

    ___

    Associated Press reporters Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Safiyah Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker and Jesse Bedayn contributed.

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  • Weakening incomes add new strain to households already hit by high prices

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    For months, Americans have voiced frustration over the stubbornly high cost of living.

    But economists say a more troubling shift is emerging: consumers are increasingly reporting that their incomes aren’t keeping up with the financial pressures they face.

    AS THE HOLIDAYS APPROACH, THANKSGIVING BECOMES TRUMP’S ECONOMIC TEST

    Joanne Hsu, director and chief economist of the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers, says the change is showing up more clearly in recent readings.

    “Consumers have been expressing frustration from high prices consistently for the past several years; what makes this season different is that consumers are also increasingly mentioning weakening incomes as well,” Hsu told Fox News Digital.

    “This year, they are reporting pressures on their pocketbooks from multiple sources,” she added.

    Consumers are increasingly reporting that their incomes aren’t keeping up with the financial pressures they face. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    That sense of mounting pressure is backed up by recent analysis. 

    According to the Bank of America Institute, inflation has risen faster than middle- and lower-income households’ after-tax wages since January 2025.

    As a result, nearly one in four U.S. households is now living paycheck to paycheck, a number that has grown during the past year.

    NEARLY 1 IN 4 AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, REPORT REVEALS

    What that means is that the erosion of purchasing power is pushing more Americans to the edge of their budgets, making it harder to keep up, let alone get ahead.

    Hand reaching out across table to pay for meal outdoors with a credit card - contactless payment

    Americans say that it is hard to keep up financially, let alone, get ahead. (iStock)

    That growing strain presents a political challenge for President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House on promises of greater affordability. He is now confronting voter doubts about whether he can deliver.

    A Fox News national survey shows 76% of voters now rate the economy negatively, up sharply from 67% in July and 70% at the end of former President Joe Biden‘s term.

    Trump’s economic approval has also slipped to a new low, and his overall job approval has climbed to record levels of disapproval, even among voters who have historically backed him.

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    US President Donald Trump listens during a Cabinet meeting

    President Donald Trump is grappling with affordability issues that plagued former President Joe Biden’s administration. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    For now, the daily reality for many Americans remains the same: prices feel too high, paychecks feel too thin and confidence in the future is fragile. 

    How quickly that changes and whether voters give Trump credit for it may determine the tone of the country’s economic and political debate in the months ahead.

    Amanda covers the intersection of business and geopolitics for Fox News Digital.

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  • Trump Is Fighting With Architect Over His Too-Big Ballroom

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    The ballroom construction project at the White House seen from the top of the Washington Monument on November 17.
    Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

    Add Donald Trump’s architect to the list of people who are upset over the president’s plans to build a massive new White House ballroom that dwarfs the house itself. The Washington Post reports that Trump has argued with his handpicked classical-revival architect, James McCrery II, over the ballooning ballroom design:

    [McCrery] has counseled restraint over concerns the planned 90,000-square-foot addition could dwarf the 55,000-square-foot mansion in violation of a general architectural rule: don’t build an addition that overshadows the main building. A White House official acknowledged the two have disagreed but would not say why or elaborate on the tensions, characterizing Trump and McCrery’s conversations about the ballroom as “constructive dialogue.”

    But Trump will not be restrained, of course, and now says the ballroom will have an even larger capacity (1,000 people, up from 650) and cost more than $300 million, which is $100 million more than he originally announced:

    Trump’s intense focus on the project and insistence on realizing his vision over the objections of his own hire, historic preservationists and others concerned by a lack of public input in the project reflect his singular belief in himself as a tastemaker and obsessive attention to details … Multiple administration officials have acknowledged that Trump has at times veered into micromanagement of the ballroom project, holding frequent meetings about its design and materials.

    The Post adds that McCrery has kept his criticism private as he tries to deal with his megalomaniacal client’s revisions and keep the job. He is reportedly “worried that another architect would design an inferior building, according to a person with knowledge of his thinking.”

    Though Democrats continue to make as much noise as they can, there remains no indication that anyone will be able to stop Trump from building — and overshadowing — whatever he wants.

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  • ICE detains Revere woman with family ties to White House press secretary

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    A Brazilian woman who had been living in the United States for most of her life is being held in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Louisiana as she fights deportation.

    The woman, identified as 33-year-old Bruna Ferreira of Revere, Massachusetts, is the mother of the nephew of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, according to official sources familiar with the case.

    Ferreira’s lawyer Todd Pomerleau said she was detained on Nov. 12 after leaving her home in Revere to pick up her 11-year-old son in New Hampshire. Pomerleau said ICE agents stopped her and detained her. She then was taken to Vermont before being moved to Louisiana.

    The Department of Homeland Security said Ferreira overstayed a tourist visa and has a prior battery arrest — allegations Pomerleau disputes. He argues that Ferreira arrived in the U.S. as a child and later qualified for DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

    “She came here at 6 years old,” said Pomerleau. “Age of 6, and they’re calling her a criminal illegal alien.”

    He insists the government’s claims about a visa violation are not correct.

    “They’re saying she violated a visa,” he said. “You can’t violate a visa under the immigration laws until six months after your 18th birthday. By then, she already had DACA, which you can’t get if you’re a criminal illegal alien, cause [of] its disqualifying factors for people who have crimes.”

    Ferreira shares custody of her son with Michael Leavitt, brother to Karoline Leavitt. A source confirmed the family connection, but said the two women have not spoken in years. The White House press secretary has not publicly commented on the case.

    Pomerleau described the past relationship between Ferreira and Michael Leavitt as typical of many young couples.

    “Like a modern family,” he said. “They’re two people that were young and in love at one point. They were engaged to be married, and it didn’t work out, like countless others.”

    In a statement, DHS described Ferreira as “a criminal illegal alien from Brazil” and said she entered the U.S. on a B-2 tourist visa requiring her departure by June 6, 1999.

    Her attorney disputes the agency’s claims and said he has seen no evidence she ever committed a crime.

    “Under the immigration laws, she’s following the only processes that she has available to her, and I’ve seen no proof whatsoever that she has ever committed a crime,” Pomerleau said.

    Pedro Latorre, a church deacon who lives across from Ferreira’s home, said the situation has been painful for many Hispanic families in the area.

    “It’s very painful for the family,” he said, adding that fear has been widespread. “I’m concerned because we know each other, and the problem is that … people are afraid about this.”

    Ferreira remains in custody as her attorney seeks bond. A judge could decide on her release by Thanksgiving.

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  • White House Hopes to Save Elon From Testifying in DOGE Lawsuit

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    The Trump administration is attempting to shield its former DOGE czar, Elon Musk, from having to testify in a legal case involving his work for the “government efficiency” initiative. DOGE has been sued many times over the past year for its efforts to carve up the government, but one of the most longstanding litigation efforts involves its attack on USAID, the international aid agency, which was all but shuttered earlier this year.

    In February, several former USAID officials and contractors filed a lawsuit against Musk and DOGE that accused them of an “unconstitutional power grab” and characterized the gutting of USAID, which was created by Congress, as a violation of the separation of powers. The litigation argued that Musk had exercised an unconstitutional level of “power within the US government that’s reserved for Senate-confirmed officials,” Bloomberg notes.

    Musk worked as a “special government employee” for the first five months of this year, and the government has maintained that he was not in charge of major policies at DOGE, despite public rhetoric by Musk (and Trump) that would suggest it.

    Earlier this year, the government attempted to get the case thrown out, but, in August, a Maryland judge ruled that it could continue. Now, at the very least, the government is hoping to keep Elon off the witness stand.

    Bloomberg first noted that the government has now sought a protective order to keep Musk from having to testify. In a motion filed on Nov. 21, the government moved to seek a “protective order precluding the depositions of Elon Musk,” as well as two other former administration officials, Peter Marocco and Jeremy Lewin. The government argues that extraordinary circumstances needed to be met before such depositions were necessary. The motion reads:

    As the government understands it, Plaintiffs seek to depose each to determine who made the decision to take certain actions and the current operating status of USAID. But longstanding limitations on deposing high-level Executive Branch personnel requires Plaintiffs to show exceptional circumstances exist before the depositions occur. Because Plaintiffs have not made—and cannot make—that showing, a protective order is warranted.

    The government also argued that the deposition of Musk “would necessarily intrude on White House activities and the president’s performance of constitutional duties, which triggers significant separation-of-powers concerns.” Additionally, the government said that litigants should “exhaust alternatives” before resorting to depositions.

    Gizmodo reached out to the Trump administration. We also reached out to Musk via his startup xAI, but the company responded with an automated message that merely read: “Legacy Media Lies.”

    The closure of USAID has been blamed for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people who were reliant on the aid program, a vast majority of whom are children. Musk, meanwhile, has called USAID “evil” and a “criminal organization.”

    Last week, Reuters reported that DOGE was officially dead. The news agency quoted Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor, who said that DOGE “doesn’t exist” anymore, even though it has a charter that isn’t set to expire for another eight months. Kupor added that DOGE was no longer a “centralized entity,” and Reuters noted that many former DOGE-lings had since moved on to other positions within the government.

    The White House and Musk have since come out to rebuff Reuters’ claims. “As usual, this is fake news from @Reuters,” the official DOGE account on X posted Monday. “President Trump was given a mandate by the American people to modernize the federal government and reduce waste, fraud and abuse,” it added. “Just last week, DOGE terminated 78 wasteful contracts and saved taxpayers $335M. We’ll be back in a few days with our regularly scheduled Friday update.”

    “Reuters lies relentlessly,” Musk added Tuesday.

    Whether DOGE is alive or not, the fact of the matter is that it is a terrible, inefficient, and generally stupid organization that might as well be dead for all the good it’s actually done the American people. After Musk promised to carve trillions of dollars out of the federal bureaucracy, it went on to do very little cost-saving and, instead, helped throw the federal bureaucracy into chaos during the first part of this year. All the while, DOGE bragged of huge savings for the American people, but journalists repeatedly showed that the organization was misrepresenting its activities and that its savings projections were plagued by rudimentary math mistakes. A recent report showed that DOGE had wasted billions of dollars while only saving a tiny fraction of what it had claimed.

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  • Swalwell claims Pulte abused power to target Trump critics | Fortune

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    Representative Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat who has been a frequent critic of Donald Trump, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday claiming Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte abused his power to retaliate against one of the president’s political opponents.

    Swalwell alleges Pulte obtained and used the lawmaker’s personal mortgage records in violation of US privacy laws and constitutional protections for political expression. Pulte sent a criminal referral to the US Justice Department earlier this month claiming Swalwell committed mortgage fraud, which the congressman’s lawyers said was false and “a gross mischaracterization of reality,” according to the court filing.

    The federal lawsuit marks the latest escalation of accusations by prominent Democrats and other Trump critics that US officials are using the might and resources of the federal government to carry out a retribution campaign on behalf of the president. 

    Swalwell alleged that Pulte “abused his position” by searching the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac databases to “concoct fanciful allegations of mortgage fraud” against prominent Democratic lawmakers. Pulte also made mortgage fraud referrals against New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Senator Adam Schiff, among others. 

    According to the lawsuit, Pulte accused Swalwell of claiming his home in the District of Columbia as his primary residence on a mortgage agreement to secure more favorable terms. The lawmaker said his sworn affidavit on the agreement made clear that the home would be his wife’s primary residence — not his — and that he remained a permanent resident of California.

    A spokesperson for the housing agency and Swalwell’s attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

    Damaged Reputation

    Swalwell recently launched his campaign for California governor with a platform highlighting his record opposing the president. His attorneys argued in the complaint that Pulte’s mortgage fraud allegations hurt Swalwell’s “reputation at a critical juncture in his career” and forced him “to divert attention away” from his nascent campaign.

    The lawmaker also said that the widespread publication of information about the address of his family’s home has exposed him and his young children to heightened security risks and caused “significant anguish and distress.”

    “Pulte’s brazen practice of obtaining confidential mortgage records from Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac and then using them as a basis for referring individual homeowners to DOJ for prosecution is unprecedented and unlawful,” his lawyers wrote in the complaint.

    Pulte has publicly lodged mortgage fraud allegations against several high-profile current and former officials that Trump has identified as political foes. His criminal referral of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook laid a foundation for Trump to move to fire her. Cook denied the claims and has successfully fought in court to keep her job so far. The US Supreme Court is set to hear arguments soon.

    The case against James, the New York attorney general, led to an indictment by a federal grand jury, but it was tossed out this week by a judge who concluded the lead prosecutor was unlawfully appointed. The administration has vowed to appeal. James’ lawyers separately have argued that the case should be dismissed because it’s a vindictive prosecution effort. Schiff and Cook haven’t been charged. 

    Swalwell wants a court to order Pulte to withdraw the criminal referral to the Justice Department. He’s also seeking an unspecified amount of money as compensation for the alleged privacy violations.

    The case is Swalwell v. Pulte, 25-cv-4125, US District Court, District of Columbia (Washington).

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    Zoe Tillman, Miles J. Herszenhorn, Bloomberg

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  • Opinion | Can Trump Deliver Putin?

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    The hysterics will get hysterical all over again when it turns out peace isn’t nigh.

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    Holman W. Jenkins, Jr.

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  • The White House’s history with Thanksgiving, and how the turkey pardon came to be

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    Two turkeys are traveling Tuesday from the posh Willard Hotel to the White House, becoming the latest turkeys to be pardoned by an American president in a tradition that officially dates back to President George H.W. Bush.

    The history of White House Thanksgiving traditions date back more than 160 years to President Abraham Lincoln, who established the national holiday. 

    During his time in office, Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of Thanksgiving, triumphing over similar efforts of presidents who came before him, according to the National Park Service. 

    The official designation of the annual national holiday is due, in part, to writer Sarah Josepha Hale. The NPS notes that in 1827 — as editor of “Boston’s Ladies Magazine” — Hale began writing essays calling for the national holiday. Finally, on Sept. 18, 1863, she wrote to Lincoln asking him to use his presidential powers to create the holiday. 

    Lincoln obliged and a few weeks later, on Oct. 3, 1863 — during the height of the Civil War — he issued the Thanksgiving Proclamation. Ever since, the country has celebrated Thanksgiving Day. 

    But it wasn’t until after a bill passed by Congress on Dec. 26, 1941, that made the holiday fall annually on the fourth Thursday in November. 

    Thanksgiving at the White House is usually relatively quiet and includes the tradition of pardoning lucky turkeys from their doomed fate of the dinner table. 

    In this black and white photograph, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt watches as President Franklin D. Roosevelt carve the traditional Thanksgiving turkey during supper at Warm Springs, Georgia, on November 29, 1935. 

    Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum/NARA


    Presidential turkey pardons

    The first turkey pardon ever issued is believed to have been by Lincoln as recorded by White House reporter Noah Brooks in an 1865 dispatch, according to the White House Historical Association. 

    Lincoln had granted clemency to a turkey named Jack belonging to his son Tad Lincoln, that had originally been slated to be gobbled up at the family’s Christmas dinner in 1863. 

    President Dwight D. Eisenhower turkey pardon

    President Dwight D. Eisenhower holds the neck of a 40-pound Thanksgiving dinner turkey presented to him by the National Turkey Federation on Nov. 19, 1956. 

    Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum/NARA


    But the annual practice in which the White House sent pardoned presentation turkeys to a farm to live out their days did not occur until Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s, the WHHA says. In decades prior, presidents would occasionally receive turkeys from the poultry industry and decide not to eat them without an official pardon. 

    The WHHA notes the practice of sending presentation turkeys to the president became a norm in 1981, and the pardoning ceremonies quickly became a national sensation. By 1989, the annual tradition materialized with President George H.W. Bush — as documented by the association — speaking to the pardoned turkey, saying the line his successors still reprise at ceremonies today: “He’s granted a presidential pardon as of right now.”

    President George H. W. Bush turkey pardon

    President George H. W. Bush laughs during the turkey pardoning ceremony on November 14, 1990, while his grandson, Sam LeBlond, gets caught in the shot. 

    George Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA


    On Tuesday, President Trump will be presented with two turkeys, Waddle and Gobble, from the National Turkey Federation. 

    Gathering with family and friends

    Aside from the turkey pardoning spectacle, presidents spend Thanksgiving in the same fashion as households across the country. 

    The first documented Thanksgiving gathering at the White House dates back to Nov. 28, 1878, according to the WHHA. Then-President Rutherford B. Hayes held a large Thanksgiving dinner gathering with his family and private secretaries, singing hymns in the Red Room afterward and inviting African-American staff to enjoy their own Thanksgiving meal in the State Dining Room. 

    The tradition has since withstood the test of time. Through economic hardship and times of wars, presidents have carved out time for family. The WHHA notes that President Woodrow Wilson’s first Thanksgiving meal during World War I on Nov. 29, 1917, was an economical one — and one without cranberries. 

    In recent decades, presidents have taken to the tradition of celebrating the holiday outside the White House at their so-called “go-to” vacation spots. President Ronald Reagan in 1985 traveled to the family ranch in Santa Barbara, California. 

    Mr. Trump will be traveling to Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, as he did nearly every Thanksgiving in his first term. Former President Joe Biden, meanwhile, traveled to Nantucket over the weekend, per his daughter’s Instagram, a Biden family tradition for over 40 years.

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