Donald Trump was asked if he would attend the funeral of West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, who was gunned down in an attack taking place near the White House, and his answer caused a stir, highlighting what many describe as his narcissistic nature.
Trump, who described Beckstrom as an “incredible person, outstanding in every single way,” told the reporters he hadn’t “thought about it yet” but added it was “certainly something I can conceive of.”
Trump continued, “I love West Virginia,” referring to Beckstrom’s home state. “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.”
Several reporters’ faces changed the moment Trump pivoted from Beckstrom’s death to talking about his election win.
According to the White House, Trump contacted Beckstorm’s parents after his statement and used the moment to label the shooting a “terrorist attack,” accusing the Biden administration of allowing Afghans who assisted U.S. troops during the Afghanistan War to come into the country.
Trump has called in the National Guard to help with his administration’s mass deportation push. In his remarks, he even held up a printed photo of Afghan evacuees crowded onto a military plane during the rushed Kabul evacuation in 2021.
He suggested the shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, who had reportedly served in a CIA-backed Afghan military unit before immigrating to the US, became mentally unstable after the war and the Afghanistan withdrawal. “He went cuckoo. I mean, he went nuts,” the president said. “It happens too often with these people.”
In Beckstrom’s hometown of Webster Springs, West Virginia, the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post announced plans to hold prayer vigils for the fallen service member.
“Our hearts are absolutely broken to share that Sarah has passed away from the injuries she sustained in the D.C. attack. There are no words big enough for this loss… We will still be gathering for the community vigils—now to honor Sarah’s memory, to lift up her family, and to pray for the other service member who remains injured,” their statement read.
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