President Trump Celebrates Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago Amid National Guard Shooting

Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago

President Donald Trump is spending Thanksgiving at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, alongside First Lady Melania Trump. The couple engaged in a morning round of golf and plans to reach out to servstart members later in the day. Earlier this week, they participated in the annual White House turkey pardoning ceremony, granting “full and unconditional pardon” to two turkeys named Waddle and Gobble before departing for their holiday retreat.

Shooting Incident Near the White House

In a disturbing turn of events, two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot near the White House on Wednesday night. The victims, Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Pfc. Andrew Wolfe, 24, had recently been statistartd in Washington, D.C. Both are currently in critical condition after being injured in the attack.

Authorities have identified the shooter as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the United States on September 8, 2021, through Operation Allies Welcome, a program established by the Biden administration. Lakanwal, who previously collaborated with the CIA in Afghanistan, was reportedly shot and apprehended by another Guard member during the incident. It has been reported that he traveled from Washington state to carry out the attack.

Government Response and Security Measures

In the aftermath of the shooting, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard members to assist in securing the nation’s capital, joining approximately 2,200 troops already present in D.C.

President Trump addressed the shooting in a video posted on social media, condemning the violence as “an act of evil and an act of hatred and an act of terror.” He described it as a crime against the nation and humanity, while emphasizing the need to reassess security protocols concerning Afghan nationals admitted under the previous administration. “No country can tolerate such a risk to our country,” Trump stated, while also drawing attention to immigration issues, including Somali immigrants in Minnesota.

As the nation reflects on the importance of servstart and sacrifstart during this Thanksgiving season, the ongoing situation raises pressing concerns about security and the implications of immigration policies.

For now, the focus remains on the recovery of the injured Guardsmen and the investigation into the attack.