President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has personally invited the families of fallen West Virginia National Guard member Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe to the White House, extending condolences and honoring their service following the tragic shooting near the Capitol.
Speaking during a Thanksgiving video call with US service members from Mar-a-Lago, Trump revealed he had spoken directly with Beckstrom’s parents, describing them as “devastated” and praising the 20-year-old as a “highly respected, young, magnificent person.” “She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now,” Trump said emotionally. “When you’re ready, because that’s a tough thing, come to the White House. We’re going to honor Sarah. And likewise with Andrew, recover or not.”
🚨 JUST IN: President Trump has invited the families of National Guardsmen Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe to the White House
“I’ve already suggested it – I said, ‘when you’re ready, come to the White House. We’re gonna honor [them].” ❤️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/AG0BK6lImi
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 30, 2025
Beckstrom, from Summersville, West Virginia, enlisted in June 2023 as a military police officer with the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade. She was deployed to Washington, DC, under Trump’s federal initiative to support local policing amid urban crime concerns. Wolfe, 24, from Martinsburg, joined the West Virginia Air National Guard’s 167th Airlift Wing in February 2019.
The pair were ambushed Wednesday afternoon near Farragut Square by 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who authorities say drove cross-country from Washington state armed with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. Lakanwal, who entered the US in 2021 via Operation Allies Welcome after working with US forces in Afghanistan, was wounded by a third Guardsman and remains in custody. No motive has been confirmed, but FBI Director Kash Patel called it a “heinous act of terrorism” under investigation.
Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries Thanksgiving morning; Wolfe, a 2019 Musselman High School graduate, underwent surgery and remains “fighting for his life,” per Governor Patrick Morrisey. Morrisey, speaking at a Webster County High School vigil, remembered Beckstrom as having “quiet strength, a contagious smile and positive energy” that “lifted people around her.”
West Virginia mourned with vigils across the state, including at Beckstrom’s alma mater, where Principal Jarrod Hankins eulogized her as “sweet, caring and always willing to help others.” Her father, Gary Beckstrom, posted: “My baby girl has passed to glory… a horrible tragedy.”
US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe offered condolences, with Pirro vowing justice for “this hero who volunteered to serve DC.” The dignified transfer of Beckstrom’s remains drew salutes from federal agencies, including the Secret Service and DEA.
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The shooting has intensified national debates on immigration and military deployments, with Trump linking it to Biden-era policies and announcing a “permanent pause” on migration from “Third World countries.” Funeral arrangements for Beckstrom are pending.
America honors Specialist Sarah Beckstrom’s sacrifice and prays for Sgt. Wolfe’s recovery.
