WASHINGTON—In a town where access is everything, if you want to be influential, you have to go to all the right events.
It’s why people lined up for hours in the freezing cold to get into last year’s Inaugural Balls. It’s why, as we speak, congressional staffers and think tank flaks are jockeying to get invites to all the swankiest Christmas parties. And it’s why a couple of legacy media outlets are reportedly spinning their wheels to get invited to this Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors.
The Associated Press and New York Times “are scrambling and begging” for press credentials just days before the event, Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi wrote on X this week.
“The date didn’t sneak up on anyone,” she added. “They knew it was coming. They just didn’t bother.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/AP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@AP</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@nytimes</a> are scrambling and begging for <a href="https://twitter.com/kencen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kencen</a> Honors press credentials at the last minute. 3 days before the show…
It’s the 48th Honors. The date didn’t sneak up on anyone. They knew it was coming. They just didn’t bother.
— Roma Daravi (@romadaravi) <a href="https://twitter.com/romadaravi/status/1996616392494268638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">December 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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This year’s class of honorees includes Michael Crawford, the Tony Award-winning singer who originated the titular role of the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway; disco legend Gloria Gaynor and country music star George Strait; “Rocky” star Sylvester Stallone; and the band KISS.
The Kennedy Center Honors are always a star-studded affair, and this year is no exception. Expected guests include Tommy Hilfiger, Kurt Russell, and Garth Brooks, The Daily Caller <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2025/12/04/tommy-hilfiger-kurt-russell-garth-brooks-sylvster-stallone-kennedy-center-honors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> this week. Inside-the-Beltway VIPs include House Speaker Mike Johnson, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
President Donald Trump will host this year’s honors in lieu of a celebrity master of ceremonies. First Lady Melania Trump is also expected to be in attendance.
This year also marks the debut of new medals for honorees, <a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/news-room/press-release-landing-page/48th-kc-honors-medallion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designed exclusively</a> for the Kennedy Center by Tiffany &amp; Co.
This year’s honors, which will air on CBS on December 23, come at a pivotal time for the Kennedy Center. Trump has made overhauling the cultural institution a priority in his second term, as The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-kennedy-center-is-40-million-in-debt-will-make-major-cuts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chronicled extensively</a>. Trump and Kennedy Center Director Richard Grenell have pushed to rectify the Kennedy Center’s financial situation and revamp its offerings.
The Trump administration’s reform efforts have made the Kennedy Center a political flashpoint. Recently, Democrat Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kennedy-center-board-of-trustees-president-pushes-back-after-senator-attacked-center-with-outrageous-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> that the Center was “being looted to the tune of millions of dollars in foregone revenue, cancelled programming, unpaid use of its facilities, and wasteful spending on luxury restaurants and hotels — an unprecedented pattern of self-dealing, favoritism, and waste.”
“The press and the Senator should be ashamed of the lies they print and reprint — we want a cultural center for all Americans but they push lies to sow division amongst Americans for their selfish moment in a headline,” Daravi said in response to Whitehouse’s allegations.
Sources close to the matter tell The Daily Wire that the Times and the AP claim they missed the email inviting them to apply for press credentials. While neither outlet responded to a request for comment, Daravi addressed the missed email claims, saying simply, “They’ve had 48 years to prepare.”
Full disclosure: The Daily Wire will be in attendance at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors. We didn’t miss the email.

President Trump Participates In A Kennedy Center Board Meeting And Tour

The Kennedy Center Honors Are So Hot, Even The New York Times Is Clamoring To Get In

Associated Press

Donald Trump

New York Times

The Kennedy Center

Washington D.C.

The man arrested for allegedly planting pipe bombs at the Republican and Democratic Party headquarters in Washington, D.C., in the hours before the January 6 Capitol riot confessed to the act on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
Brian Cole Jr., who the FBI arrested on Thursday morning, told investigators during interviews on Thursday afternoon that he planted the bombs, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-pipe-bomb-justice-department-a2d4fca7c41b03c7215f99ec0f3c0252">Associated Press</a> and <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/05/us-news/dc-pipe-bomb-suspect-admits-to-planting-devices-outside-dnc-rnc-sources/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_social_post_id=615598904&amp;utm_social_handle_id=17469289">The New York Post</a>, which cited sources familiar with the matter. Cole, a 30-year-old living in Woodbridge, Virginia, has been charged with transporting explosives across state lines with intent to kill, injure, and cause damage, and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials. He is set to be arraigned in a D.C. federal court on Friday afternoon.
During his interviews with investigators, Cole also expressed support for President Donald Trump and indicated that he believed the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, the Associated Press reported. Whether Cole allegedly planted pipe bombs in response to Trump losing the 2020 election to former President Joe Biden, however, remains in question. According to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/d-c-pipe-bomber-charging-papers-unsealed-in-d-c-court?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=D.C.+Pipe+Bomber+Charging+Papers+Unsealed+In+D.C.+Court">charging documents</a>, Cole began purchasing supplies for the pipe bombs in May 2019, long before the controversy surrounding the 2020 election erupted.
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alleged-d-c-pipe-bomber-sued-trump-dhs-over-illegal-immigration-asked-biden-doj-to-address-racism">reported</a> on Thursday that Cole worked for a bail bonds company run by his father that worked to free illegal immigrants from ICE facilities and sued the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security. Cole&#8217;s exact political leanings or potential motivations remain cloudy, as some reports have also stated that the suspect holds anarchist views.
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Federal authorities have not yet revealed what they believe to be the suspect&#8217;s motive. The FBI declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
The FBI zeroed in on Cole after nearly five years of investigation into the case by analyzing thousands of purchases, cell phone data, and license plates. Data from Cole’s cell phone provider showed that he was near the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021, between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m., according to the charging documents. Cole&#8217;s 2017 Nissan Sentra with Virginia plates was also allegedly captured by a license plate reader on I-395 South near the Capitol at 7:34 p.m. on that same night.

Brian Cole Jr.

D.C. Pipe Bomb Suspect Reportedly Confesses To Investigators

Charging documents for the suspected Washington, D.C., pipe bomber <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.287327/gov.uscourts.dcd.287327.1.1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">were unsealed</a> in court on Thursday as the Justice Department announced the arrest of Brian Cole Jr.
According to an FBI affidavit, Cole is 30 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, works as a bail bondsman, and lives with his mother in Woodbridge, Virginia. The feds say that Cole used credit cards to purchase bomb-making equipment from Virginia stores.
He bought six pipes, 12 black end caps, and electrical wires from numerous different Home Depots between May 2019 and November 2020. He also purchased steel wool, which was packed inside the pipe bombs, from the national chain. Cole purchased five nine-volt battery connectors from Micro Center, some using cash, and bought kitchen timers from Walmart, according to the charging documents. He also bought tools like protective gloves and disinfectant wipes on November 24, 2020.
The pipe bomber investigation dragged on for nearly five years, and many Americans doubted that the federal government would ever find the culprit. The FBI offered the public a $500,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who planted bombs at the Republican and Democratic Party headquarters on the eve of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said at a press conference Thursday afternoon that federal investigators closed in on Cole through &#8220;internal work&#8221; and &#8220;not a public tip.&#8221;
&#8220;You are not going to walk into our capital city, put down two explosive devices, and get away. We would track him to the end of the earth. We didn&#8217;t have to track him that far, he wound up being in Woodbridge, Virginia,&#8221; Bongino said.
Data from Cole&#8217;s cell phone provider showed that he was near the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021, between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m. Data from the cell phone company provided in February 2021 contained an error that was corrected two months later, the filing said.
Cole drives a 2017 Nissan Sentra with Virginia plates, and it was captured by a license plate reader on I-395 South near the Capitol at 7:34 p.m. Three weeks before the bombs were placed, on December 14, 2020, Cole bought food from a restaurant in the area.
Attorney General Pam Bondi ripped the Biden administration for failing to solve the case for four years, saying, &#8220;The total lack of movement undermined trust in law enforcement.&#8221;
&#8220;It languished for four years until Kash Patel and Dan Bongino came to the FBI. There was no new tip, no new witness, the information had been sitting at the FBI for four years,&#8221; Bondi added.

RNC/DNC pipe bomb suspect

Charging Docs Reveal How FBI Zeroed In On Suspected D.C. Pipe Bomber

January 6

Terrorism

The Biden administration “barely vetted” the Afghan migrant accused of shooting two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C. last week, a Homeland Security official revealed Tuesday.
The alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, didn’t undergo multiple standard background checks after he arrived in the United States in 2021 as part of the Biden administration’s “Operation Allies Welcome” program that brought over 77,000 individuals from the war-torn nation following the botched withdrawal of American troops, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News host John Roberts.
The Biden administration allowed Lakanwal into the U.S. because of his past work with federal agencies operating in Afghanistan, including the CIA, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/national-guardsmen-shooting-suspect-worked-with-the-cia-agency-head-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> last week. He received asylum in April, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rahmanullah-lakanwal-mental-health-case-worker-emails/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CBS News.
“We saw with this terrorist here, he was barely vetted, there was no biometric vetting, there was no criminal background check, cyber background check, financial background check. Really, they took some people and they just took them at their word, that&#8217;s a huge problem,” McLaughlin said.
“And it really can&#8217;t be overstated what the Biden administration did to this country in putting it in danger. So, I would say absolutely the vetting process is an issue, but these countries of origin too,” McLaughlin added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
The damage that the Biden administration did to this country cannot be overstated.
President Trump and Secretary Noem are putting an end to the reckless policies that allowed millions of illegal aliens and foreigners into our country unvetted. The vetting process will now… <a href="https://t.co/wRC6hi377D">pic.twitter.com/wRC6hi377D</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1995956782712455534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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President Donald Trump was quick to turn off immigration pipelines following the recent attack.
</div>
The federal government halted asylum decisions and stopped issuing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/state-department-orders-posts-to-refuse-visas-to-afghan-nationals?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=State+Department+Takes+Action+On+Afghan+Nationals+Following+Trump+Pledge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visas</a> to Afghans. On Tuesday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued new guidance to pause the processing of all immigration applications for individuals from 19 “high risk countries.”
The targets of the halt include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, countries that were subject to travel <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-06-10/pdf/2025-10669.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restrictions</a> enacted in June.

Job Biden Speaks At Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) In San Diego

Biden Admin ‘Barely Vetted’ Afghan Terror Suspect Accused Of Shooting National Guard Troops In D.C.

Biden Admin 'Barely Vetted' Afghan Terror Suspect Accused Of Shooting National Guard Troops In D.C.

Afghanistan

Joe Biden

The Afghan migrant accused of shooting two National Guard troops patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., last week has pleaded not guilty.
Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is accused of shooting West Virginia National Guardsmen, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe. Beckstrom tragically died from her wounds just a day after the attack.
During a virtual hearing Tuesday, Lakanwal, who joined from a hospital bed where he&#8217;s being treated for gunshot wounds, pleaded not guilty to all charges against him, which include assault with intent to kill while armed; possession of a firearm; possession of a firearm during a crime of violence; and murder, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/suspect-dc-shooting-national-guard-members-charged-murder-pleads-not-g-rcna247014" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to NBC News.
It was also revealed in court documents that Lakanwal yelled &#8220;Allahu akbar!&#8221; as he carried out the brutal attack. Additionally, he was apparently restrained just as he tried to reload his gun.
A judge denied the suspect bond, according to NBC.
Both Beckstrom and Wolfe “were sworn in less than 24 hours before they were shot on the street in Washington,” United States Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said during a press conference Thursday morning.
Beckstrom had volunteered to work during the Thanksgiving holiday to give her fellow soldiers time with their families before the shooting occurred.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
President Trump says he spoke with the parents of Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who is still hospitalized and in serious condition:
&#8220;They said he didn’t have a chance. I will tell you, the one who said he is going to live is his mother. I spoke to his mother, &#8216;Sir, he is going to… <a href="https://t.co/sWqnw24nlp">pic.twitter.com/sWqnw24nlp</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1995906785346265239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
Wolfe “remains in serious condition,” but is showing signs of movement and awareness, Republican West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said during a press conference Monday.
During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he spoke with Wolfe&#8217;s parents.
&#8220;They said he didn’t have a chance,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;I will tell you, the one who said he is going to live is his mother &#8230; &#8216;Sir, he is going to live.&#8217; I spoke to her very soon after this horrible event took place with this scum that is able to come into our country.&#8221;
&#8220;I spoke to his mother, &#8216;Sir, he’s going to be okay. I’m telling you.&#8217; No doctor thought that. Nobody thought that. He was hit bad places. She was so positive, it was incredible. And possibly right. &#8230; That would be amazing. If he lives, it would be amazing, a miracle, actually,&#8221; he recalled of the conversation.
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Lakanwal came to the United States in 2021 as part of President Joe Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome,” when roughly 77,000 Afghan nationals were ushered into the country during the botched withdrawal of American troops, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The Afghan man received asylum in April, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rahmanullah-lakanwal-mental-health-case-worker-emails/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CBS News.
The Biden administration justified bringing Lakanwal to the U.S. over his work with U.S. government entities in Afghanistan, including the CIA, agency Director John Ratcliffe <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/national-guardsmen-shooting-suspect-worked-with-the-cia-agency-head-says">said</a> last week.
The Trump administration has responded to the attack by “halting” asylum decisions and stopping the issuance of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/state-department-orders-posts-to-refuse-visas-to-afghan-nationals?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=State+Department+Takes+Action+On+Afghan+Nationals+Following+Trump+Pledge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visas</a> to Afghans.

National Guard Continue Patrolling Washington, DC After Shooting

Afghan Migrant Pleads Not Guilty In DC Shooting Of National Guard Soldiers

National Guard

U.S.

The White House released First Lady Melania Trump’s theme for the holiday season yesterday, and it inspired viewers to reflect on the debacle of 2023 and the major bullet our country dodged last November.
The first lady teamed up with her longtime designer and stylist Hervé Pierre to bring an elegant, traditional look to the White House, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/melania-transforms-white-house-for-christmas-with-ten-thousand-butterflies?author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Melania+Transforms+White+House+For+Christmas+With+Ten+Thousand+Butterflies">reported</a>. This stands in stark contrast to the “woke clowns” that Jill Biden showcased while her husband was still in office in December 2023.
Melania Trump’s theme for 2025, “Home Is Where the Heart Is,” features 10,000 blue butterflies. Many social media users have juxtaposed the classy promo video just released by the White House with the frenetic, colorful chaos from Biden&#8217;s Christmas video two years ago.
“There’s no comparison between the Biden White House and the Trump White House Christmas,” one commenter <a href="https://x.com/Sassafrass_84/status/1995529566580855075">posted</a> on X. “Melania is pure class. Love my Flotus.”
“A return to elegance at the White House,” another <a href="https://x.com/T_Q_Gardner/status/1995559798100857262">said</a>.
“Flashback: Jill Biden made a mocked Christmas by featuring woke clowns in her Christmas decorations! Just announced: We&#8217;re so back!!!” another user <a href="https://x.com/Huberton/status/1995537729270988802?s=20">added</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
First Lady Melania Trump has released a video for this year’s Christmas at the White House: &#8220;Home is Where the Heart Is.&#8221;
Flashback: Jill Biden made a mocked Christmas by featuring woke clowns in her Christmas decorations!
Just announced: We&#8217;re so back!!! 🇺🇸✝️ <a href="https://t.co/U0pXkVX65Y">pic.twitter.com/U0pXkVX65Y</a>
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) <a href="https://twitter.com/Huberton/status/1995537729270988802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I love Melania Trump, and her impeccable taste! Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas,&#8221; another user <a href="https://x.com/MaryandBessie/status/1995531044846784612">gushed</a>.
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At the time, Biden’s holiday decorations were dubbed “bizarre,” “freaky,” and “cringey.” The Dorrance Dance group website also encouraged support of organizations like Black Lives Matter and advocated for a group called “Showing Up For Racial Justice” that “moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice,” as The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-blasted-for-bizarre-freaky-christmas-video">reported</a> at the time.
Some commenters pointed out that if Kamala Harris had won in 2024, the White House Christmas decor would more closely resemble 2023, in all likelihood.

White House Christmas

Melania Praised For ‘Impeccable’ White House Christmas Decorations After Biden’s ‘Woke Clowns’

Melania Trump Praised For 'Impeccable' White House Christmas Decorations After Biden's 'Woke Clowns'

Christmas

General

Jill Biden

Melania Trump

White House

Americans unwrapped an early present this morning when the White House unveiled its highly anticipated 2025 Christmas theme: Home Is Where The Heart Is. First Lady Melania Trump enlisted her longtime designer and stylist, Hervé Pierre, to bring the holiday spirit to the People’s House with elegance and flair.
True to the “Trump 2.0” motto of transformation, the 2025 display features 10,000 blue butterflies in the Red Room and halls of the White House. “The striking color combination coupled with the butterflies&#8217; symbolic meaning of transformation and renewal capture the essence of Christmas,” Trump said in a statement from her office.
Staying true to tradition, the first lady selected wreaths with red bows for the White House windows and oversaw the installation of 50 Christmas trees, 700 feet of garland, and 25,000 feet of ribbon to transform the historic residence for the holiday season.
Melania Trump said her inspiration came from the joys, challenges, and frequent motion derived from motherhood and business. “The constant movement has taught me that home is not merely a physical space; rather, it is the warmth and comfort I carry within, regardless of my surroundings.” She added that the display reflects the idea that “wherever we are, we can create a home filled with grace, radiance, and endless possibilities.”
That sentiment is especially embodied in the Blue Room, where the official White House Christmas tree honors Gold Star families. The 18-foot Concolor Fir from Sidney, Michigan, is adorned with gold stars and ornaments representing the official bird and official flower of every U.S. state and territory, paying tribute to “the resilience, bravery, and sacrifice of military personnel and their families.”
Hinting at a future celebration, the East Room showcases trees with bases marked with “America 250.” The trees are donned with decorations in America’s red, white, and blue to “accentuate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Nation.” National symbols including eagles, the Great Seal, roses, and oak cover the tree. The room includes two Presidential Portraits made up of puzzle pieces, offering visiting families “the chance to be challenged … and use their imagination together.”
Christmas 2025 marks Melania Trump’s fifth time decorating the White House, a tradition that dates back to Jacqueline Kennedy. Known for her elegant style, Melania has drawn parallels to the iconic first lady. Vanity Fair dubbed her “<a href="https://people.com/politics/melania-trump-vanity-fair-mexico-next-jackie-kennedy/">the new Jackie Kennedy</a>” in 2017.
Kennedy <a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/jacqueline-kennedy-refines-the-season-photo-2">started the tradition</a> of selecting a theme for the official White House Christmas tree in 1961, when she adorned the tree with ornamental toys, birds, and angels modeled after Petr Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” ballet. In the North Entrance, she decorated the Christmas tree with ornaments made by disabled or senior citizen craftspeople in the United States.
Trump hopes that as Americans explore the historic residence this holiday season, the 2025 decorations will serve as a reminder that “the strength of our Nation is found in its people—in our shared values, valued traditions, and the steadfast belief that home is where the heart is.”

Screenshot 2025-12-01 at 2.53.04 PM

Melania Transforms White House For Christmas With Ten Thousand Butterflies

Executive

The Afghan national suspected of shooting two National Guard troops, seriously wounding one and killing another, will be charged with first-degree murder, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Friday.
Pirro said during an <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/1994400786063741313">interview</a> on “Fox and Friends” that 29-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/afghan-national-in-custody-for-national-guard-attack-was-in-country-illegally?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Afghan+National+In+Custody+For+National+Guard+Attack+Was+In+Country+Illegally">Rahmanullah Lakanwal</a> will face the upgraded charge after National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom of the West Virginia National Guard died after she was shot on Wednesday. Lakanwal is accused of shooting both Beckstrom and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe with a handgun while they patrolled the streets of Washington, D.C. 
“There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree,” Pirro said. “It is a premeditated murder. There was an ambush with a gun toward people who didn&#8217;t know what was coming.”
Pirro added that the investigation into how the deadly shooting was still ongoing. 
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“And we are hoping that the more information we can get and the more investigation that is going on, 24/7… the more we will find out about what actually happened in terms of this individual, even being in this country and being in a position to ambush and shoot down an innocent young woman who was doing her duty to the people of this country.”
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Beckstrom had died of her injuries.
“She’s no longer with us, she’s looking down on us right now,” Trump said. “Her parents are with her. This just happened. She was savagely attacked, she’s dead, not with us. Incredible person. Outstanding in every single way, in every department. Just horrible.”
Pirro said Friday that there was “hope” about Wolfe’s condition but that he was “still in critical condition.”
“We are doing everything we can to assist his family and to make sure that they have everything they need during this difficult time for them,” Pirro told “Fox and Friends.” “We are all praying for Andrew Wolfe.”
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 as part of President Joe Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome,” which — as The Daily Wire previously reported — allowed roughly 77,000 Afghan nationals into the country. Trump said on Thursday that he would “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover” and “terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions.”

President Trump Orders Hundreds More National Guard Troops to D.C. After Shooting Of Guardsmen

Charges Upgraded Against Afghan Shooting Suspect After National Guard Soldier Dies

Crime

Jeanine Pirro

The father of Sarah Beckstrom, one of the two National Guard members allegedly shot by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, said that she has a “mortal wound” and is not expected to survive.
“I’m holding her hand right now,” Gary Beckstrom said. “She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery.”
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🚨Sad news: The father of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom from the WV National Guard says her death is all but certain. &quot;She has a mortal wound. It&#39;s not going to be a recovery.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/IJMIOYQ6th">pic.twitter.com/IJMIOYQ6th</a>
&mdash; Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) <a href="https://twitter.com/JewishWarrior13/status/1994123081456209987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Beckstrom, 20, an Army Specialist, had volunteered to work the Thanksgiving holiday so that her fellow soldiers could go home to their families, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News Thursday.
“She volunteered to be there on Thanksgiving, working today,” Bondi said. “She volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families. Yet, now, their families are in hospital rooms with them while they are fighting for their lives.”
 “The accused gunman had been part of an Afghan &#8216;partner force&#8217; trained and supported by the C.I.A. in the southern province of Kandahar, officials said. An Afghan intelligence official said the suspect had served in one of what were known as Zero Units, Afghan paramilitary forces trained to target the Taliban and that were accused of widespread killings of civilians,” The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11/27/us/national-guard-shooting-dc">reported</a>.
On Thursday, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro made it clear that if either Beckstrom or Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, the other Guard member who was shot, did not survive, the federal government would seek charges of murder in the first degree against the suspect, making him eligible for the death penalty.
Speaking at a press conference Thursday morning, Pirro stated,
“As we stand here today, the charges that are appropriate right now are three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, a violation of DC code 22–401 and DC code 22–4502. He will also be charged  possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces 15 years under assault with the intent to kill. We intend to continue monitoring what the charges will be, depending upon the well-being of the guardsmen. We are praying that they survive and that the highest charge will not have to be murder in the first degree.”
“But make no mistake,” she declared. “If they do not, that will certainly be the charge: murder in the first degree. The Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi is committed to a thorough and impartial investigation where we will hold this perpetrator accountable under the full weight of the law.”

American Heroes II

‘I’m Holding Her Hand Right Now’: Father Of Female National Guard Member Says She Won’t Survive

Shooting

The two heroic National Guardmen shot Wednesday by a crazed Afghan man while deployed to secure Washington, D.C., have been identified.
The service members are West Virginia National Guardsmen, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe, 24, United States Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro revealed during a press conference Thursday morning.
Both Beckstrom and Wolfe “were sworn in less than 24 hours before they were shot on the street in Washington,” Pirro said.
&#8220;They were uniformed members of the West Virginia National Guard, and they were in DC to keep DC safe pursuant to President Trump&#8217;s executive order to make DC safe and beautiful,&#8221; Pirro said.
&#8220;They answered the call, they took the charge, they volunteered, they put their lives on the line for people they don&#8217;t even know, and that unfortunately is becoming a reality more and more for the members of law enforcement,&#8221; she said.
Beckstrom had volunteered to work the Thanksgiving holiday so that her fellow soldiers could go home to their families, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News Thursday.
&#8220;She volunteered to be there on Thanksgiving, working today,&#8221; Bondi said. &#8220;She volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families. Yet, now, their families are in hospital rooms with them while they are fighting for their lives.&#8221;
Beckstrom and Wolfe both emerged from surgery on Thursday and remain in critical condition.
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This morning, we can confirm that my constituent Andrew Wolfe, 24, from Berkeley County, and his fellow National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom, 20, have successfully made it through surgery but are still in critical condition. Their families are with them in the hospital.
I am… <a href="https://t.co/brcCRe0Ftm">pic.twitter.com/brcCRe0Ftm</a>
— Rep. Riley M. Moore (@RepRileyMoore) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRileyMoore/status/1994070758679597109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;They&#8217;re receiving the finest medical care, their families are with them now,&#8221; Pirro said.
&#8220;They are critical &#8230; it&#8217;s not clear how this is gonna end up, but let me be perfectly clear about how it will end up in this office. If one of them is to pass, and God forbid that happens, this is a murder one, period, end of the story. We are praying on a day like today when families come together in America, and they hold hands around the Thanksgiving table, I beg you, I beseech you to pray for these two young people that they survive,&#8221; she said.
The suspect, Afghan national <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/afghan-national-in-custody-for-national-guard-attack-was-in-country-illegally?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Afghan+National+In+Custody+For+National+Guard+Attack+Was+In+Country+Illegally" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rahmanullah Lakanwal</a>, 29, entered the United States in 2021 as part of President Joe Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome,&#8221; which allowed roughly 77,000 Afghan nationals into the country during the botched withdrawal of American troops, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire late Wednesday.
Lakanwal is now charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces 15 years in prison for assault with the intent to kill.
If either one of the two soldiers succumbs to their injuries, the federal government will seek charges of murder in the first degree against the suspect, making him eligible for the death penalty.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump described the attack as a “monstrous ambush,” blaming the Biden administration for waving the alleged shooter into the U.S.
“This attack underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation. The last administration let in 20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners from all over the world,” Trump said.
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Untitled design – 2025-11-27T103550.486

Meet The Hero National Guardsmen Fighting For Their Lives After DC Attack

In the wake of the shooting of two members of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro made it clear that if either one of the two — who are currently in critical condition — do not survive, the federal government will seek charges of murder in the first degree against the suspect, making him eligible for the death penalty.
Speaking at a press conference Thursday morning, Pirro stated, “We’re working very closely with our partners, especially DHS and the FBI, to review his immigration history and the vetting process itself. What we know about him is that he drove his vehicle across the country from the state of Washington with the intended target of coming to our nation’s capital.”
“As we stand here today, the charges that are appropriate right now are three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, a violation of DC code 22–401 and DC code 22–4502,” she continued. “He will also be charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces 15 years under assault with the intent to kill. We intend to continue monitoring what the charges will be, depending upon the well-being of the guardsmen. We are praying that they survive and that the highest charge will not have to be murder in the first degree.”
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“But make no mistake,” she declared. “If they do not, that will certainly be the charge: murder in the first degree. The Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi is committed to a thorough and impartial investigation where we will hold this perpetrator accountable under the full weight of the law.”
“Our nation’s capital should not and must not be a place where evil comes to commit violence, whatever their cause or motive may be,” she asserted. “We should not have to live in fear in the nation’s capital, especially by one who came here from a foreign country through a process that was so absurd that he came through and released into this country as many were, knowing virtually nothing about his vetting. This is what happens in this country when people are allowed in who are not properly vetted.”
She offered a tribute to law enforcement: “These guardsmen and all who were here to protect the district are the line that separates a civilized society from a barbaric one. They are the ones who stand for law and order. This was not just an attack. It was a direct challenge to law and order in our nation’s capital and the individual will be made fully accountable.”
“Though it seems that we have been here before, under President Trump make no mistake and the attorney general: We will not allow this to be normalized. It will be confronted, condemned and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Now my message to the individual who committed these acts is you picked the wrong target, the wrong city and the wrong country and you will be sorry for the violence and the evil that you perpetrated in our nation’s capital,” she concluded.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, MPD Chief Pamela Smith, And DC Mayor Bowser Discuss Arrests In Murder Of Congressional Intern

Suspect In National Guard Shootings Could Receive Death Penalty: U.S. Attorney Pirro

Death Penalty

Politics

Two National Guard troops were shot near the White House on Wednesday afternoon.
Both of the troops targeted in the attack are from West Virginia and were in uniform when they were shot. A senior U.S. official told NBC News that both of the National Guardsmen were shot in the head, and the suspect reportedly used a handgun.
The suspected gunman was identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who came to the United States during the Biden administration&#8217;s disastrous withdrawal from the country in 2021. The male suspect was critically wounded and taken into custody. The FBI will reportedly investigate the shooting as an act of terrorism.
Lakanwal was allowed to enter the United States under Operation Allies Welcome, and he settled in Bellingham, Washington.
A little over an hour after the shooting, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said that both of the National Guard troops had died, but he later walked back his statement and said that there were &#8220;conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members,&#8221; adding that he &#8220;will provide additional updates once we receive more complete information.&#8221;
President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115617866419112089">said</a> that both of the troops were &#8220;critically wounded&#8221; and were being treated &#8220;in two separate hospitals.&#8221;
&#8220;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. 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!&#8221; Trump said.
The president was not at the White House at the time of the shooting as he traveled to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida earlier on Wednesday for the Thanksgiving holiday.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/DOWResponse/status/1993791269580259545">said</a> that the shooting was &#8220;a cowardly, dastardly act targeting the best of America, heroes willing to serve in Washington, D.C.&#8221; He added that President Trump has requested that 500 additional National Guardsmen be deployed to the capital following the shooting.
&#8220;This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful,&#8221; Hegseth said.
The suspected shooter acted alone, according to a D.C. police official who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11/26/us/national-guard-shooting-dc/85decc03-f7f2-595f-a32d-6426f61ee8a7?smid=url-share">spoke</a> to The New York Times. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser called the attack on National Guardsmen a &#8220;targeted shooting.&#8221;
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that National Guardsmen had been shot, <a href="https://x.com/Sec_Noem/status/1993771280898916498">saying</a>, &#8220;Please join me in praying for the two National Guardsmen who were just shot moments ago in Washington D.C. @DHSgov is working with local law enforcement to gather more information.&#8221;
Video taken near the Farragut West metro station showed a massive police presence following the shooting.
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BREAKING — massive police and National Guard presence at Farragut West metro station. A block from White House. <a href="https://t.co/Hz2wjjWa6d">pic.twitter.com/Hz2wjjWa6d</a>
— Jay O&#8217;Brien (@jayobtv) <a href="https://twitter.com/jayobtv/status/1993766783271174498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Over 2,300 National Guard troops have been deployed to D.C. by Trump as he seeks to address violent crime in the nation&#8217;s capital. Trump&#8217;s National Guard deployment in D.C. and other cities around the country has been met with backlash from the Left.
This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates.

US-CRIME-NATIONAL GUARD

Two National Guard Troops Shot Near White House, Afghan National In Custody

Trump Administration

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