President Donald Trump’s response to questions about attending the funeral of a slain National Guard member drew widespread criticism after he pivoted from the somber topic to boasting about his election performance in her home state.
When asked Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, whether he planned to attend the funeral of U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, Trump told reporters he hadn’t “thought about it yet” but said it was “certainly something I could conceive of.” However, rather than elaborating on honoring the fallen soldier, the president immediately shifted gears to discuss his electoral success.
“I love West Virginia,” Trump said from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. “You know, I won West Virginia by one of the biggest margins of any president anywhere. These are great people. I love the people of West Virginia. I love the people of our country.”
The president eventually returned to the funeral question, stating he hadn’t given it any thought but acknowledged it sounded like something he could do. The remarks came just hours after Trump announced Beckstrom’s death during his annual Thanksgiving call to U.S. service members.
Beckstrom, 20, from Summersville, West Virginia, died Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, from injuries sustained in what authorities described as an ambush-style targeted attack just blocks from the White House near Farragut Square in Washington, D.C. She had been serving with the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade of the West Virginia Army National Guard, beginning her service in June, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was also shot in the attack and remained critically wounded, fighting for his life. Wolfe, who began his service in February 2019, was assigned to the Force Support Squadron, 167th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard.
During the Thanksgiving call, Trump described Beckstrom as a highly respected, young, magnificent person. The president spoke with Beckstrom’s family following her death, according to White House officials. His comments about potentially attending the funeral were made during a media availability at his Palm Beach residence on Thanksgiving Day.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro revealed at a press conference on Thursday that both guardsmen had been sworn in just 24 hours before the shooting occurred. Pirro characterized the incident as an ambush in a brazen and targeted attack. The charges against the suspect were upgraded to first-degree murder following Beckstrom’s death.
The suspect has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who allegedly drove from Washington state to D.C. to carry out the attack. Lakanwal arrived in the United States in 2021 as part of immigration initiatives following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. According to officials, he previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan.
Beckstrom and Wolfe were among over 2,000 National Guard troops deployed to D.C. as part of the president’s response to what he has characterized as rampant crime in the nation’s capital. The deployment has faced criticism from some quarters as excessive and partisan, given Washington’s Democratic political leanings. National Guard forces have since been deployed to other cities as well.
A federal judge ordered the National Guard’s deployment in D.C. to be suspended last week, though the ruling was stayed for three weeks. The shooting has added new dimensions to debates over the deployment’s legality and necessity.
Trump’s response to the funeral question sparked immediate backlash on social media, with critics accusing the president of making the moment about himself rather than honoring the fallen service member. The president’s tendency to reference his electoral victories during discussions of serious national events has been a recurring pattern throughout his political career.
Military funerals traditionally serve as solemn occasions where the nation honors those who have given their lives in service. Presidential attendance at such ceremonies carries significant symbolic weight and is often seen as a gesture of national mourning and respect for military families. The decision of whether a president attends typically depends on various factors, including the circumstances of the death, relationship to the service member’s family, and scheduling considerations.
The White House issued a statement addressing the incident, noting that Trump delivered heartfelt condolences about Beckstrom’s death and emphasizing the president’s care for the people of West Virginia and those serving the country. The statement also tied the incident to immigration policy debates from the previous administration.
Lakanwal was initially charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence before the charges were elevated following Beckstrom’s death. The suspect has not been cooperating with law enforcement agencies investigating the attack.
The incident has reignited national conversations about immigration vetting procedures, military deployments in domestic settings, and the safety of service members performing duties on American soil. Both Beckstrom and Wolfe were fulfilling their duties as members of the National Guard when they were attacked in what was supposed to be a routine deployment to the nation’s capital.
