Van Hollen says 'no evidence' of vetting system failures in Afghan shooting suspect's case

On November 26, 2025, an Afghan refugee, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly shot and critically injured two members of the West Virginia National Guard near the White House in Washington, D.C. Homeland Security officials have attributed the vetting failures of the shooter to the Biden administration, suggesting he may have been radicalized after arriving in the U.S. in 2021.

Senator Cory Booker married his fiancée Alexis Lewis in two separate ceremonies, one in Newark, New Jersey, and another in Washington, D.C. The events were described as intimate and attended by close family members, following a brief engagement period of just three months. The senator expressed gratitude for the locations that hold personal significance for both him and his wife.

An Afghan immigrant, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly shot and critically injured two members of the West Virginia National Guard near the White House on November 26, 2025. Prior to this incident, advocates had raised concerns about Lakanwal's mental health, indicating he was 'not functional as a person' and that his mental health crisis had gone unaddressed for over a year.

President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of David Gentile, a former private equity executive who was convicted of defrauding investors in a $1.6 billion scheme. Gentile had begun serving a seven-year sentence before this decision was made public.

Mourners gathered at a West Virginia high school to honor Sarah Beckstrom, a National Guard member who was fatally shot in a targeted attack in Washington, D.C. last week. Beckstrom was remembered as a caring individual who dedicated her life to helping others, reflecting the profound loss felt by her community.

Mourners gathered at a West Virginia high school to honor Sarah Beckstrom, a National Guard member who was fatally shot in a targeted attack in Washington, D.C. last week. Beckstrom was remembered as a caring individual who dedicated her life to helping others, leaving a profound impact on her community.

Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were critically injured in a shooting incident near the White House, leading Trump allies Alina Habba and Tom Homan to criticize the Biden administration's immigration policies as an 'absolute failure.' The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, had entered the U.S. during the 2021 airlift.

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) expressed concerns regarding a reported follow-up strike on two survivors of an initial U.S. attack in the Caribbean in September, suggesting it could constitute a war crime. In an interview with ABC News, he stated, 'I think it's very possible there was a war crime committed.'