President Donald Trump on Tuesday used his 2026 State of the Union address to denounce an Afghan man accused in the fatal shooting of a National Guard member near the White House, calling him a “terrorist monster” who “shouldn’t have been in our country.”
The president referred to the November attack in which Sarah Bexon, a National Guard member, was ambushed while on patrol near the White House and later died from her injuries.
“She was ambushed and shot in the head by a terrorist monster from Afghanistan,” Trump said. “He shouldn’t have been in our country.”
He said the gunman targeted her “all because she wore the uniform of our nation,” adding, “He was sick, deranged.”
He honored Bexon’s parents, Gary and Eberly, who were present in the chamber. “Your daughter was a true American patriot,” he said. “She will be greatly missed.”
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, is accused of the shooting near the White House.
Afghanistan was mentioned only once during the speech, in connection with the shooting. Trump did not outline any broader policy toward Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
The November attack prompted heightened scrutiny of Afghan immigration cases. Following the shooting, visa issuance for Afghan nationals was halted and some immigration applications were suspended. Additional restrictions were imposed on certain Afghan asylum seekers.
Defending those measures, Trump said his administration was “restoring safety for Americans at home and abroad.”
People familiar with the situation say some Afghan refugees remain in a US-run facility in Qatar awaiting resettlement decisions. Others in Pakistan say their immigration cases have been paused and that some passports remain at the US Consulate in Islamabad. US officials have not publicly addressed those claims.
