Secretary of War Pete Hegseth paid a visit to the National Guard troops at the D.C. Armory recently, where he expressed his deep condolences over the loss of Army National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and shared his appreciation for their efforts in maintaining order in the nation's capital. According to a press release from the Department of War, Beckstrom, 20, of Summersville, West Virginia, succumbed to injuries following a November 26 shooting incident near Farragut Square in Washington, D.C.
"Obviously our hearts are heavy right now for the loss of Spc. Sarah Beckstrom," Hegseth stated, as reported by the Department of War. Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe also sustained injuries in the attack and is currently hospitalized. The suspect in the shooting, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, has been arrested thanks to the intervention of two individuals whom Hegseth met privately during his visit.
The D.C. Guard currently has more than 2,200 personnel assigned to Joint Task Force District of Columbia, with members hailing from various states beyond D.C., including Georgia and Ohio. Hegseth underscored the president's gratitude towards these service members and acknowledged their accomplishments so far saying, "We are nothing but grateful for everything that you do every single day and every single night," and "You have delivered historic safety, security and beauty to this capital." White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also spoke to the troops, assuring them of the administration’s "unyielding loyalty, devotion, gratitude, admiration; our eternal brotherhood with you, and your service, your contribution, your sacrifice," as conveyed in the Department of War press release.
In the wake of the shooting and the tragic loss of Beckstrom, Hegseth, who had been traveling in the Dominican Republic discussing counter-narcotics operations, announced President Trump's directive to increase troop presence in Washington, D.C. by 500 additional National Guardsmen. At the conclusion of the visit, Hegseth, along with department and administration senior leaders, took part in serving Thanksgiving dinner to the uniformed personnel.
