President Trump Vows "Steep Price" for Shooter Who Critically Wounded National Guard Members Near White House

US President Donald Trump expressed strong support for the National Guard Troop following the shooting of two members in Washington on Wednesday. The president subsequently ordered 500 additional National Guard personnel to be deployed to the city in response to the incident.

In an early Thursday morning post on Truth Social, Trump characterized the shooter as an "animal" and stated that the perpetrator would face severe consequences for the attack.

Providing an update on the wounded guardsmen, Trump confirmed that both were critically injured and receiving treatment at separate medical facilities.

"The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price," Trump declared on his social media platform.

He continued, "God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!"

US Vice President JD Vance shared his grief regarding the incident, stating, "We're all heartbroken over our brave guardsmen. They're the best in the world, we're lucky to have them, and today is a brutal reminder of what we ask them to do every day," in a post on X.

Former US President Barack Obama also responded to the shooting, emphasizing that "Violence has no place in America."

He added, "Michelle and I are praying for the servicemembers shot in Washington, DC today, and send our love to their families as they enter this holiday season under the most tragic of circumstances."

The targeted shooting occurred near the White House on Wednesday afternoon at approximately 2:15 PM when the attacker opened fire on a female guard, shooting her in the chest and then in the head, according to a NYPost report.

The assailant reportedly then fired at a second guard before a third guard stationed nearby intervened and neutralized the threat.

The suspect was also shot during the confrontation and sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press anonymously as they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The shooter has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who reportedly entered the US during the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, as reported by the NYPost.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially reported that both soldiers had died but retracted this statement within 30 minutes, noting that his office was receiving "conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members" and promised further updates as more information became available.

"Our prayers are with these brave service members, their families, and the entire Guard community," Morrisey wrote on X.

The two injured guardsmen were among over 2,000 troops deployed as part of President Trump's crime-fighting initiative that included assuming control of the local police department.