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President Donald Trump met on Thursday with the family of National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe at the White House, offering support and pledging continued federal assistance as Wolfe recovers from a gunshot wound suffered while on duty in Washington.
Wolfe, a member of the District of Columbia National Guard, was critically injured last month after an assailant opened fire near a Guard deployment site. Officials said Wolfe remains hospitalized in serious condition. The attack prompted renewed calls from lawmakers for greater security protections for Guardsmen supporting federal missions in the capital.
“The great family of Andrew Wolfe — Our wonderful National Guardsman who was badly injured protecting the Capital of the United States of America. He is in the process of healing. His parents, brother, and all of his friends are praying. I just met them in the Oval Office — They are fantastic American Patriots!” President Trump posted to social media.
According to the White House, Trump invited Wolfe’s family for a meeting to receive an update on Wolfe’s condition and to reassure the family that federal officials are closely monitoring the investigation.
The family asked for continued prayers and said they remain hopeful about Wolfe’s recovery. White House officials said Trump plans to stay in contact with the family as the investigation proceeds.
The event occurred shortly after reports that the man accused of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he opened fire with a revolver, according to a criminal affidavit.
“Allahu Akbar,” an Arabic phrase meaning “God is greater,” has frequently been shouted by terrorist attackers who view their actions as jihad and seek to instill fear in others.
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021 after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He previously served in one of the CIA-backed “Zero Units” and was part of the National Strike Unit tied to the former Afghan government’s National Directorate of Security, according to prior reporting from Just the News.
Lakanwal is accused of shooting Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who died the following day, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who remains hospitalized in serious condition.
