Trump Reacts to DC National Guard Shooting With Immigration Crackdown
Former President Donald Trump has vowed a stricter stance on immigration following the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard reservists in Washington, DC. Trump described the incident as "an act of evil, and an act of terror," and quickly used it to advocate for tighter immigration controls.
The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, allegedly shot the guards who were deployed in Washington, DC as part of Trump's controversial troop deployment to support law enforcement. Trump blamed the Biden administration for allowing Lakanwal into the United States after the withdrawal of American troops in 2021, claiming the incident highlights a major national security threat.
"America will never bend and never yield in the face of terror, and at the same time, we will not be deterred from the mission these service members were so nobly fulfilling," Trump stated in a video from his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Suspect's CIA Ties Emerge
Adding another layer to the story, it has been revealed that Rahmanullah Lakanwal had ties to the CIA, having worked with agency-backed military units during the US war in Afghanistan. He arrived in the US in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program granting visas to Afghans who worked for the US government. He was granted asylum under the Trump administration in April of this year.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed Lakanwal's ties to the agency, revealing he worked alongside US special forces in Afghanistan. Reports suggest he was involved with counterterrorism squads known as the “zero units” in Kandahar, a Taliban stronghold.
The evolving details of the shooting and the suspect's background raise significant questions about immigration policies and national security vetting processes. The full details of the incident in Washington are still emerging, but Trump's reaction underscores his focus on immigration as a key political issue.