On November 26, 2025, two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot near the White House in downtown Washington, D.C., resulting in their deaths. The incident occurred around 2:20 p.m. ET at the entrance to the Farragut West Metro station. Following the shooting, the White House was placed on lockdown, and President Donald Trump, who was in Florida at the time, was briefed on the situation.

The victims included one male and one female National Guard member. A suspect has been taken into custody, and multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Marshals, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), are involved in the ongoing investigation. The Department of Homeland Security is also collaborating with local authorities to gather further information.

National Guard troops have been stationed in Washington, D.C., for several months as part of an anti-crime initiative initiated by President Trump, which has been extended to other cities across the United States. Local leaders, including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, were actively monitoring the situation during the incident.

In the aftermath, there has been a political response, with some right-wing commentators attempting to link the shooting to a video released by Democratic lawmakers that urged military personnel to resist unlawful orders. However, these lawmakers did not advocate for violence, focusing instead on upholding the U.S. Constitution. In contrast, Trump condemned the act of violence and expressed support for the National Guard and law enforcement, while also requesting the deployment of an additional 500 troops to the capital.

This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding safety and the implications of militarization in urban areas, particularly in the context of heightened tensions and violence. A federal judge recently ruled that the Pentagon had overstepped its authority by deploying troops in Washington, D.C., for non-military purposes, although this decision is currently stayed pending an appeal by the Trump administration.