Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) intensified political tensions by blaming President Donald Trump for the ambush-style killing of two D.C. National Guard members, arguing that his decision to deploy military personnel to U.S. cities created unnecessary risks. In an interview with CNN’s Sara Sidner, she said Trump “should blame himself” for policies that put troops “in harm’s way.” The victims, Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, were gunned down near the White House by an Afghan national identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal. Wasserman Schultz claimed Trump’s “crackdown” through National Guard deployments blurred the line between policing and military force and may have made the capital a target.
Trump has defended the surge of federal personnel as essential for restoring order, noting major drops in crime — including an 87% decrease in carjackings cited by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Critics, however, say the operation lacked proper coordination with local leaders. The White House forcefully rejected Wasserman Schultz’s remarks, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson arguing that Lakanwal “would’ve never been here” if not for Biden-era refugee policies. She accused Democrats of “defending terrorists” and pointed to the administration’s new “Reverse Migration Plan,” which seeks to remove migrants admitted under Biden.
Wasserman Schultz countered that Trump’s calls to reinterview refugees admitted during the Biden presidency risk stigmatizing legitimate wartime allies. She argued any failure that allowed Lakanwal to enter the U.S. occurred across multiple levels of screening. Administration officials say the president’s upcoming public-safety package will include broader federal authority to revoke asylum or refugee status for foreign nationals charged with violent crimes.