Vice President JD Vance is asking Americans to pray after two National National Guard troops from West Virginia were shot near the White House on Wednesday. The guardsmen were critically wounded in what Washington, D.C., officials described as a targeted attack, which led to a fast federal response and a wave of reactions from national leaders.
According to ABC News, Vance was at Fort Campbell in Kentucky when news of the shooting broke. He was speaking to service members during a Thanksgiving visit with troops and their families, and the moment quickly turned serious. “We’re still learning everything. We still don’t know the motive,” Vance told the crowd, cautioning that much was still unknown. He asked “everybody who’s a person of faith” to pray for the two guardsmen as they received emergency care.
🚨 BREAKING: VP Vance just stopped his remarks at Ft Campbell and asked troops to pray for the fallen National Guard soldiers in DC
“This is a reminder that our SOLDIERS are the sword and the shield of the United States of America.” 🙏🏻🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/770meWrhMg
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 26, 2025
He added a message about service that struck a chord with those present. “It’s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they’re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,” he said. Vance thanked the troops personally, noting that he works daily “in that building,” the Pentagon, with many who wear the uniform.
The shooting happened earlier Wednesday near the Farragut West Metro station, not far from the White House. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the attack was a “targeted shooting” and confirmed that police had quickly taken a suspect into custody.
Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Jeffrey Carroll said video footage showed “a lone gunman that raised the firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard.” He said the suspect was also hospitalized after the arrest.
BREAKING: War Secretary Pete Hegseth says President Trump has asked him to deploy an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington DC, following shooting of two West Virginia National Guard service members near the White House.
SecWar- “This will only stiffen our resolve.” pic.twitter.com/Ig6I20p0Zu
— Breaking 4 News (@Breaking_4_News) November 26, 2025
The scene quickly filled with local police, Secret Service officers, and federal agencies setting up a security perimeter. “What we’re seeing are lots of DC police, lots of Secret Service, uniformed agents, members of the National Guard,” Al Jazeera’s Rosiland Jordan reported from the scene, describing the heavy presence downtown.
President Donald Trump reacted strongly, promising that the person responsible would pay a “very steep price.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen… will pay a very steep price.” He added, “God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement.”
FBI Director Kash Patel called the shooting “a matter of national security” and said federal, state, and local agencies were working together to “bring all of our resources to make sure we find the perpetrators responsible for this heinous act.”
My heart is with the two National Guard members and their families. These service members didn’t ask to be put in this position — they signed up to serve their community and their country, and they should never be targeted for following orders. (1/2)
— Aftyn Behn for Congress (@aftynfortn) November 26, 2025
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also weighed in, posting video on X where he condemned the attack as a “cowardly, dastardly act.” He said Trump asked him to deploy an additional 500 National Guardsmen into Washington, D.C., in response.
“This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington, D.C. safe and beautiful,” Hegseth said. He praised the administration’s record on crime, saying the decline in violence has been “historic,” and promised that officials would “never back down.”
While Vance’s holiday visit to Kentucky was planned as a moment of connection with service members, it became an emotional reminder of the risks they face every day. Vance’s comments about faith, service, and sacrifice never meant more than now.
