Trump Condemns White House Shooting as "Terrorist Act...There Will Be Consequences"

Suspect Entered During Biden Administration
Pledge to Strengthen Anti-Immigration Measures

President Donald Trump of the United States on the 26th (local time) condemned as a "terrorist act" the incident in which two West Virginia National Guard soldiers on patrol near the White House in Washington, D.C., were shot and left in critical condition.

In a video message from Florida, where he is staying for the Thanksgiving holiday (November 27), President Trump said, "This horrific attack is an act of evil, an act of hatred, and a terrorist act," adding, "It is a crime against our entire nation and a crime against humanity."

Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

He went on to say, "As President of the United States, I am firmly resolved to ensure that the beast who committed this brutal act pays the highest possible price."

President Trump revealed that the suspect is a foreign national who entered the United States from Afghanistan in September 2021, during the previous Joe Biden administration, and raised issues with the Biden administration's immigration policies. According to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, the suspect entered the United States from Afghanistan in September 2021 through "Operation Allies Welcome" during the Biden era.

President Trump criticized, "No one knows who came in during the Biden administration," and added, "The previous administration (the Biden administration) accepted up to 20 million unknown and unverified foreigners from around the world, even from places we do not even want to know about."

He further stated, "No other country would tolerate such a risk to its survival," and mentioned the hundreds of thousands of Somali immigrants forming communities in Minnesota. He claimed, "They are exploiting our country and tearing apart what was once a great state."

President Trump called for a review of all foreign nationals who entered from Afghanistan during the Biden administration, stating, "Anyone who does not become a part of this place or is not beneficial to our country, regardless of where they are from, should be subject to all necessary measures for deportation." He also said that he had instructed the Department of Defense (Department of War) to deploy an additional 500 troops to protect Washington, D.C., where the incident occurred, emphasizing, "We will make America fully safe again."

According to the Associated Press and other sources, at approximately 2:15 p.m. that day, two West Virginia National Guard soldiers on patrol near the White House in Washington, D.C., were shot and left in critical condition. The suspect was arrested at the scene and, having suffered serious injuries, is being treated at a hospital.

Meanwhile, U.S. immigration authorities announced on the social networking service X (formerly Twitter) that all immigration screenings related to Afghan immigrants have been indefinitely suspended until additional reviews of security and screening procedures are completed.