Afghan Evacuee Identified in Washington Shooting Near White House, Trump Reacts

A 29-year-old Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, has been identified as the suspect in a shooting that critically wounded two West Virginia National Guard members just blocks from the White House. US President Donald Trump has described the incident as an “act of terror,” and the federal government has halted immigration processing for Afghan nationals pending a new security review. The suspect entered the country in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration effort to evacuate Afghans who worked with US forces. Authorities say he has been living in Washington state and was shot and detained at the scene. The motive remains unknown, but the attack has reignited political hostilities over immigration vetting. In this video, we explain who Lakanwal is, how the attack unfolded, and why it has triggered sweeping federal action and heavy troop deployment in the US capital.