War Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Wednesday that President Donald Trump requested an additional 500 National Guard troops to deploy to Washington, D.C. after two were shot near the White House.
Two national guardsman, one male and one female, were shot near The White House Wednesday afternoon, with the two confirmed to be in critical condition after a suspect was apprehended at the scene. Republican West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey stated on X that the two guardsmen, both from West Virginia, succumbed to their injuries but later walked back his tweet amid “conflicting reports about the condition” of the two guardsmen.
“President Trump…has asked me [to] add 500 additional National Guardsmen to Washington DC,” Hegseth told reporters. “This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure we make Washington, D.C. safe and beautiful.”
FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters Wednesday that the shooting of the two guardsmen will be treated as an assault on a federal law enforcement officer. The guardsmen were initially deployed to the city as a response to growing crime and disorder in the nation’s capital in August.
As of now, there are 2,200 National Guard troops deployed in Washington, D.C. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters that the shooting was “targeted” while adding that the two victims were in critical condition.
The Pentagon deferred to Hegseth’s remarks. The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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