"The Animal Will Pay Very Steep Price": Trump On Shooting Near White House

US President Donald Trump extended support to the National Guard Troop after two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot in Washington on Wednesday. The president ordered 500 additional National Guard members to the city after the shooting.

In a post on Truth Social in the early hours of Thursday, Trump referred to the shooter as an "animal" and said that he will "pay a very steep price".

Sharing an update on the condition of the two guardsmen, Trump said both are critically wounded and admitted to two separate hospitals. 

"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 wrote on social media.

"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!" Trump added.

US Vice President JD Vance expressed sorrow over the shooting. "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," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Great message from our Secretary of War.

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. https://t.co/EULG8ulOBm

— JD Vance (@JDVance) November 27, 2025

"Violence has no place in America," said former US President Barack Obama, reacting to the shooting.

"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," he wrote on social media.

Violence has no place in America. 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.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 27, 2025

West Virginia Shooting: What We Know

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

The attacker then allegedly fired at and struck the second guard - until a third guard stationed nearby rushed to the area and took him down.

The suspect was also shot and has wounds that are not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

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

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially said that both soldiers had died but in less than 30 minutes he walked back his statement and said that his office was hearing "conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members" and promised to provide updates once there was more information.

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

We are now receiving conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members and will provide additional updates once we receive more complete information.

Our prayers are with these brave service members, their families, and the entire Guard community.

— Governor Patrick Morrisey (@wvgovernor) November 26, 2025

The two US guardsmen shot at were among over 2,000 troops deployed as part of Trump's crime-fighting mission that involved taking over the local police department.