President Donald Trump said Sunday that he intends to honor two West Virginia National Guard members who were shot in an ambush near the White House last week. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he has invited the parents of 20-year-old Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who succumbed to her injuries, to the White House.
“I said, ‘When you’re ready, because that’s a tough thing, come to the White House; we’re going to honor Sarah,’” Trump said. He also commented on Beckstrom’s 24-year-old colleague, Andrew Wolfe, who remains critically injured, saying, “And likewise with Andrew, recover or not.”
Communities in West Virginia have paid tribute to the Guard members in recent days. Governor Patrick Morrisey issued a proclamation urging residents to “observe a statewide moment of silence or prayer” last Friday. Morrisey also visited Wolfe in the hospital on Saturday, describing him as still in critical condition and “fighting for his life.” The suspect in the attack faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder.