Antifa group blames Trump for targeted shooting of National Guard in DC

Rather than blaming the gunman, the letter, released by the Anti-Fascist Veteran Alliance, alleges that the incident is a direct consequence of what the organizations describe as an unlawful and politically motivated deployment of National Guard forces earlier this year. The same narrative was parroted by many Democrats following the shooting.

The two critically wounded soldiers were stationed in Washington, DC, as part of the August 11 deployment initiated by President Trump to clean up the US capital. The statement contends that a federal court has already ruled the deployment illegal and argues that troops were sent into the streets without lawful authority, adequate training, or any valid mission. “They should be home preparing for Thanksgiving with their families,” the letter says. “Instead, their families are now hoping they survive.”

The coalition behind the statement includes, 50 State Vets, the Frontline Resistance Coalition, Firefighters & Law Enforcement Against Racist Extremism (FLARE), Military Women Veterans, Money Out of Politics, Fight Against Fascism, Honor Your Oath, and the Anti-Fascist Veteran Alliance.

The organizations accuse the president of transforming the National Guard into what they call a political instrument, placing service members in unnecessary danger. The statement characterizes the deployment as a violation of the oath sworn by military personnel and warns that such decisions erode democratic norms while exposing troops to risks they are not trained or authorized to handle.

“When a commander in chief illegally deploys troops at home, this is the result,” the coalition writes, arguing that the shooting illustrates the consequences of misusing military personnel in domestic operations.

The coalition called for a full federal investigation into the actions of the National Guard Bureau, the Department of Defense, and the White House. It asserts that the American people deserve clarity about how the deployment decision was made and who bears responsibility for the circumstances that left two soldiers fighting for their lives. “This cannot continue,” the letter states. “The country deserves answers and accountability before more lives are shattered.”

In closing, the statement expresses solidarity with the families of the injured Guardsmen and urges Americans to recognize the seriousness of what the organizations describe as an unprecedented misuse of military authority. “We stand with these National Guard members and their families,” the groups write. “And we stand with every veteran and every American who knows this is not normal and not acceptable.”

The suspect, identified as Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, who was living in Washington state but came to the US in 2021 under former President Joe Biden's Operation Allies Welcome following his disastrous withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, is in custody.

The shooting is being investigated as a terror attack and President Trump has suspended processing for all Afghan immigration cases that under the Biden administration, were prioritized following the Abbey Gate bombing, which saw 13 US service members killed during the botched Afghanistan withdrawal.