Trump Announces Death of National Guard Hero Killed Near White House

On Thanksgiving Day, as families across America gathered to celebrate, President Donald Trump delivered heartbreaking news: Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old National Guardsman from West Virginia, has died after being shot just blocks from the White House.

“She’s no longer with us,” Trump said. “She was savagely attacked. She’s dead. Incredible person. Outstanding in every single way. Just horrible.”

Beckstrom had only begun her service in 2023, but she was already known as a model soldier selfless, devoted, and brave. She volunteered to serve over the Thanksgiving holiday so others in her unit could be home with family. Now, her own family is mourning a daughter who gave everything.

This isn’t just a tragedy. It’s a disgrace.

The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021 under President Joe Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome”, which imported over 77,000 Afghans into the country with minimal vetting.

Let that sink in:

• Beckstrom, an American patriot, is dead.

• The man accused of killing her was brought here by Biden’s reckless immigration program.

• She was protecting the very streets that failed to protect her.

“They answered the call, they put their lives on the line for people they don’t even know,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “That is becoming a reality more and more for the members of law enforcement.”

Beckstrom’s father, Gary, spoke earlier that day as his daughter’s life slipped away in a D.C. hospital.

“She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery,” he said. “I’m holding her hand right now.”

What’s most chilling is that this was entirely preventable. Lakanwal’s entry into the U.S. was justified by his alleged past work with U.S. agencies including the CIA in Afghanistan. But instead of being properly screened and kept under watch, he was allowed to walk freely in the heart of the nation’s capital, where he allegedly turned his weapon on the very people tasked with keeping the city safe.

And for what? For the Biden administration’s PR-driven refugee narrative? For another virtue signal to the D.C. cocktail circuit?
Sarah Beckstrom is dead because our leaders cared more about optics than outcomes.

This is what happens when the government abandons its most basic responsibility to protect its own citizens. Under Biden, America’s borders have become revolving doors for criminals and unvetted foreigners. And now, the consequences are no longer abstract. They are personal, bloody, and final.

President Trump, with visible sorrow in his voice, made it clear: this loss is not just a tragedy it’s a national failing. And it’s one more reason why strong leadership must return to the White House.

“She’s looking down on us right now,” Trump said. “Just happened. Incredible person. Outstanding in every department.”

Sarah Beckstrom’s sacrifice deserves more than words. It demands justice. It demands change. And it demands that those responsible for opening the gates to chaos and violence be held accountable.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates so the country never forgets who Sarah Beckstrom was and why she should still be alive today.