DC in Chaos: Bondi Slams ‘Progressive Left’ After National Guard Ambush

Paul Riverbank, 11/28/2025National Guard ambush in DC sparks fury, immigration debate, and urgent security questions this Thanksgiving.

If you walked past the cordoned-off streets that evening, the atmosphere felt electric—anguish in the air, law enforcement radios crackling nearby. Early reports named Specialist Sarah Beckstrom as the fallen; her fellow guardsman, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, was left clinging to life. These weren’t just uniforms; Beckstrom had actually volunteered to cover Thanksgiving duty, trading turkey and warmth for a city that now mourns her sacrifice.

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s anger was hard to miss. Appearing on Fox & Friends hours after the chaos, she held back little—her frustration clearly personal. “You look at where we are,” she said, voice tight, “and you see these progressive left idiots saying the most outrageous things about people risking their lives for us.” Bondi’s frustration wasn’t just policy deep—from her perspective, criticism from some corners of Congress and cable news didn’t merely stoke division, it led directly to violence. She called the rhetoric “disgusting, despicable” in full view of the camera, implicating those she believes have chipped away at respect for the uniform.

Bondi didn't let the broader context slip by. Linking the shooting directly to decisions made under the Biden administration, she aired out a laundry list of concerns: border issues, Afghanistan, even references to convicted felons being removed from death row. “We’ve seen what happens when vetting falls apart—when systems fail because of, frankly, failed leadership,” Bondi said, the frustration mounting as she invoked the victims’ families who now face empty chairs and hard holidays.

Investigators identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, as the suspected shooter. Lakanwal’s story is already polarizing; he’d come to the United States after the fall of Kabul during the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome. It turns out he carried an Army record from Afghanistan, some ties to U.S. intelligence, and, now, a .357 revolver that changed the course of two American lives.

Bondi didn’t mince words about Lakanwal either. “Let’s be clear: He should not have been in this country,” she told the public as details emerged, making it plain that if the legal path allows, the death penalty would be on the table. Her voice broke as she described Beckstrom’s decision to serve that day—not as some abstract act of duty, but as a singular choice.

Reactions stacked up almost as quickly as the facts. Former President Donald Trump moved swiftly, sending an additional 500 National Guard troops into the city, talking frequently with Bondi as the situation evolved. Later, Trump pushed for a hard review of all Afghan evacuees, sparking immediate debate over whether entire communities should bear scrutiny for the acts of one.

Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney, was measured but forceful—“Too soon for motive,” she said, but murder and terrorism charges were likely on the horizon, especially if Wolfe’s condition worsened. Meanwhile, across federal agencies, a sprawling terrorism investigation is underway. FBI Director Kash Patel described it as “coast-to-coast,” every lead being run down.

For every hot take in the news cycle, in the city’s streets, residents and police keep watchful. The blockades around the center of power serve as reminders—more visceral than ever—of security’s fragile reality. Conversations about immigration and who deserves citizenship break out in diners and on crowded Metro cars. Meanwhile, some quietly ask why these tragedies seem to land so close to Thanksgiving, when the nation’s guard is, perhaps, momentarily down.

For Beckstrom’s and Wolfe’s families, politics and policies are eclipsed by loss and hope—hopes pinned on medical charts, on the criminal justice system, on the chance for some kind of closure in the weeks to come. Even as the crowds dissipate and headlines fade, those personal stories, stitched with grief and defiance, carry on. Justice may yet be blind, but the wounds left behind feel anything but invisible.

Thanksgiving in the nation’s capital took a turn for the unimaginable this year. At a time usually reserved for gratitude and family, gunfire erupted just blocks from the White House, leaving two National Guard members shot—one fatally, the other fighting to survive.If you walked past the cordoned-off streets that evening, the atmosphere felt electric—anguish in the air, law enforcement radios crackling nearby. Early reports named Specialist Sarah Beckstrom as the fallen; her fellow guardsman, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, was left clinging to life. These weren’t just uniforms; Beckstrom had actually volunteered to cover Thanksgiving duty, trading turkey and warmth for a city that now mourns her sacrifice.Attorney General Pam Bondi’s anger was hard to miss. Appearing on Fox & Friends hours after the chaos, she held back little—her frustration clearly personal. “You look at where we are,” she said, voice tight, “and you see these progressive left idiots saying the most outrageous things about people risking their lives for us.” Bondi’s frustration wasn’t just policy deep—from her perspective, criticism from some corners of Congress and cable news didn’t merely stoke division, it led directly to violence. She called the rhetoric “disgusting, despicable” in full view of the camera, implicating those she believes have chipped away at respect for the uniform.Bondi didn't let the broader context slip by. Linking the shooting directly to decisions made under the Biden administration, she aired out a laundry list of concerns: border issues, Afghanistan, even references to convicted felons being removed from death row. “We’ve seen what happens when vetting falls apart—when systems fail because of, frankly, failed leadership,” Bondi said, the frustration mounting as she invoked the victims’ families who now face empty chairs and hard holidays.Investigators identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, as the suspected shooter. Lakanwal’s story is already polarizing; he’d come to the United States after the fall of Kabul during the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome. It turns out he carried an Army record from Afghanistan, some ties to U.S. intelligence, and, now, a .357 revolver that changed the course of two American lives.Bondi didn’t mince words about Lakanwal either. “Let’s be clear: He should not have been in this country,” she told the public as details emerged, making it plain that if the legal path allows, the death penalty would be on the table. Her voice broke as she described Beckstrom’s decision to serve that day—not as some abstract act of duty, but as a singular choice.Reactions stacked up almost as quickly as the facts. Former President Donald Trump moved swiftly, sending an additional 500 National Guard troops into the city, talking frequently with Bondi as the situation evolved. Later, Trump pushed for a hard review of all Afghan evacuees, sparking immediate debate over whether entire communities should bear scrutiny for the acts of one.Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney, was measured but forceful—“Too soon for motive,” she said, but murder and terrorism charges were likely on the horizon, especially if Wolfe’s condition worsened. Meanwhile, across federal agencies, a sprawling terrorism investigation is underway. FBI Director Kash Patel described it as “coast-to-coast,” every lead being run down.For every hot take in the news cycle, in the city’s streets, residents and police keep watchful. The blockades around the center of power serve as reminders—more visceral than ever—of security’s fragile reality. Conversations about immigration and who deserves citizenship break out in diners and on crowded Metro cars. Meanwhile, some quietly ask why these tragedies seem to land so close to Thanksgiving, when the nation’s guard is, perhaps, momentarily down.For Beckstrom’s and Wolfe’s families, politics and policies are eclipsed by loss and hope—hopes pinned on medical charts, on the criminal justice system, on the chance for some kind of closure in the weeks to come. Even as the crowds dissipate and headlines fade, those personal stories, stitched with grief and defiance, carry on. Justice may yet be blind, but the wounds left behind feel anything but invisible.