Hegseth says National Guard members shot in DC ambush by Afghan national will receive Purple Heart

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Friday that two West Virginia National Guard members - Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe - who were shot in an ambush-style attack near the White House late last year, will receive the Purple Heart.

Calling the Nov. 26 incident "a terrible thing" and saying the troops had been "attacked by a radical," Hegseth made the announcement while speaking at a National Guard reenlistment ceremony at the Washington Monument, where he administered the oath of enlistment to more than 100 Guardsmen from nine states serving in Washington, D.C.

"And we had a terrible thing happen a number of months ago," Hegseth said. "Andrew Wolfe, Sarah Beckstrom, one lost, one recovered, thank God, in miraculous ways. Both soon to be Purple Heart recipients because they were attacked by a radical."

The remarks mark the first public confirmation from Hegseth that the service members will receive the Purple Heart, one of the nation's oldest military decorations, awarded to those killed or wounded by enemy action.

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The Purple Heart traces its origins to the American Revolution, when George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit in 1782, to recognize enlisted soldiers wounded or killed in service. The modern Purple Heart was revived in 1932, and is awarded in the name of the president to U.S. service members wounded or killed by enemy action.

Beckstrom, 20, and Wolfe, 24, were shot just blocks from the White House in what officials described as an ambush-style attack.

Beckstrom died a day after the shooting. Wolfe was seriously wounded and continues to recover.

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The accused gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, faces nine charges related to the shooting, including first-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed. He has pleaded not guilty.

In a statement posted on X, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey thanked Hegseth for the announcement and said the recognition was long overdue.

"I thank Secretary @PeteHegseth for announcing that U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe will soon receive the Purple Heart, an honor that reflects their courage and sacrifice in defense of our nation," Morrisey wrote.

Morrisey said he formally requested the Purple Heart awards Dec. 19, adding that the announcement "brings long-overdue honor to their service, offers meaning and reassurance to their families, and stands as a solemn reminder that West Virginia will never forget those who sacrifice in defense of others."

Hegseth's remarks Friday came during a ceremony honoring the National Guard's ongoing security mission in the nation's capital. 

According to a War Department news release, more than 100 Guardsmen from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia reenlisted Friday as part of the mission.

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Those troops are among more than 2,600 National Guard members currently deployed in Washington at the direction of President Donald Trump in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, which was established in August 2025 after the president declared a crime emergency in the city.

Addressing the Guardsmen, Hegseth described their service in Washington as "front lines" duty.

"This is not an easy assignment. It's the real deal. It's front lines," he said. "You've done it, and you've done well."

The Army could not immediately provide comment after being reached by Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf and Fox News' Jake Gibson contributed to this story.