Trump says ‘animal’ who shot national guard members ‘will pay a very steep price’
The president said today that the “animal” who shot two members of the national guard “will pay a very steep price”. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that both soldiers were “critically wounded” and also noted that the suspect was also “severely wounded”.
Key events
Two national guard soldiers in critical condition after shooting in DC – reports
The two members of the national guard who were shot today are in critical condition in hospital, according to the Associated Press.
The AP cites a law enforcement official not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
A reminder that Donald Trump is not in Washington. He’s actually in Palm Beach, Florida at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
As we noted earlier today, this is his 19th day on this particular golf course since he returned to office. The White House said that he’s been briefed on today’s shooting.
Noem sas DHS is ‘working with law enforcement’ on national guard shooting
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary Kristi Noem said that her agency is “working with law enforcement to gather more information” on the shooting of two national guard soldiers in downtown DC.
Robert Tait
Reporting from the scene
After the incident, police cordoned off several streets around Washington’s Farragut Square. From nearby offices, large numbers of police cars and fire and rescue vehicles could be seen flooding into the square.
Office buildings in the square were put under lockdown, with workers told to leave by rear door if they wished to leave the premises. Law enforcement officers also ordered staff in the buildings to stay away from glass doors adjoining the square.
White House in lockdown and ‘actively monitoring situation’
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the White House was “aware and actively monitoring this tragic situation”. She added that Donald Trump had been briefed.
A White House official confirmed that the White House was in lockdown.
DC police says ‘suspect is in custody’ following shooting of national guard soldiers
The DC police has said that a “suspect is in custody” following the reported shooting of two members of the national guard.
They note that the shooting took place at 17th and I Street in Northwest DC. The scene is now secured, per law enforcement.
Two national guard soldiers shot near the White House – reports
Two members of the national guard have been shot in downtown DC, near the White House, according to the Associated Press. Emergency vehicles were seen responding to the areas. The condition of the soldiers is currently unknown.
The streets around Farragut West station, near the White House, have been closed off, per my Guardian colleagues.
We’ll bring you the latest as we get more information on this developing story.
Here’s a recap of the day so far
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The final criminal case against Donald Trump ended on Wednesday with a filing for dismissal by the state prosecutor who took over the case. Pete Skandalakis, the executive director of the prosecuting attorneys’ council of Georgia, wrote in a 22-page memo today that he would not be pursuing charges against Donald Trump, or the Republican electors who were accused of taking part in a conspiracy to illegally overturn Trump’s narrow 2020 loss to Joe Biden in the Peach state. A reminder that Skandalakis appointed himself to replace Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, after she was removed from the case by the Georgia supreme court.
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The US supreme court has postponed a decision on whether to let Donald Trump fire the government’s top copyright official, leaving her in place for now in the latest battle over the president’s targeting of federal officials. The justices declined to immediately resolve the justice department’s request to lift a lower court’s ruling that had blocked Trump’s firing of Shira Perlmutter as the US register of copyrights and US Copyright Office director while her legal challenge to her removal proceeds.
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Certain Republicans have criticized Steve Witkoff and his relationship with Moscow, after Bloomberg published the transcript of a call between Trump’s envoy and a senior Kremlin official yesterday. “It is clear that Witkoff fully favors the Russians. He cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations. Would a Russian paid agent do less than he? He should be fired,” said outgoing Republican congressman Don Bacon, of Nebraska. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania representative Brian Fitzpatrick said the published details of Witkoff’s conversation were a “major problem”.
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Senator Mark Kelly said that he’s “not backing down” amid a Pentagon investigation that claims the former navy captain broke military law by appearing in a video that tells service members to “refuse illegal orders”. While appearing on Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talkshow on Tuesday, the Arizona Democrat slammed defense secretary Pete Hegseth’s plans. “He’s going to prosecute me under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for reciting the Uniform Code of Military Justice,” Kelly said. “It is so ridiculous. It’s almost like you can’t make this shit up.”
Trump eyes reflecting pool revamp in Truth Social post
The president said in a Truth Social post today that the iconic reflecting pool, which sits in between the Washington Monument and the white marble statue of Abraham Lincoln, is due for an upgrade.
Without going into any details, Trump shared a black‑and‑white video of a pool being cleaned, set to Andrea Bocelli’s Time to Say Goodbye.
“This is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool before Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and I fix it,” the president wrote. “Study it hard because you won’t be seeing this Biden filth and incompetence much longer!”
Trial set for Wisconsin judge charged with helping undocumented immigrant evade federal agents
A federal judge has said a trial will begin on 11 December in the case of a Milwaukee judge who is charged with helping an undocumented immigrant evade immigration agents.
In May, federal prosecutors charged Judge Hannah Dugan with concealing an individual to prevent arrest and obstruction. Dugan allegedly escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer out of her courtroom through a back jury door on 18 April after learning that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were in the courthouse seeking his arrest. After Flores-Ruiz left the courthouse, federal agents chased him on foot and arrested him down the street.
Dugan’s attorneys maintain she’s innocent, and looks forward to proving so in court.
According to court documents, Flores-Ruiz illegally re-entered the US after being deported in 2013. He was in Dugan’s courtroom the morning of 18 April for a hearing, after having been charged with three counts of misdemeanor domestic abuse in Milwaukee county in March. Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Flores-Ruiz had been deported.
