President Donald Trump told a crowd in Pennsylvania that West Virginia National Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe is showing remarkable signs of recovery after the Thanksgiving eve ambush in Washington, D.C., which killed National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom. Trump said he stayed in close contact with Wolfe’s family, recounted the parents’ faith against daunting odds, and shared medical milestones that give hope to a grieving military community. The suspect in the attack has been charged, and the situation remains an active legal and medical story.
At an event in Mount Pocono, Trump described keeping in touch with the family from the start and invited them to the Oval Office. He framed their resilience as an example of strength and faith that Americans should admire. From his perspective, the story is as much about recovery and determination as it is about the tragic loss the family endured.
“The night that he was so badly hit and the doctors gave him almost no chance, I called their hospital room and spoke to her, and she said, sure, he’ll be fine,” Trump said. “Oh no, I’m telling you, he’s going to. I’m praying, the whole country is praying, sir. I’m telling you, don’t worry about it. He’s going to be fine.’ This is the mother talking to me.” Those words, he said, showed a steady, calm confidence even while doctors warned otherwise.
“And the father is like, devastated,” he continued. “He’s an incredible guy too, both. And I went and invited them to the Oval Office, and they came in.” Trump emphasized that the parents never stopped believing in their son, and he portrayed that faith as part of what has driven hope around Wolfe’s recovery. In Trump’s telling, visiting them in the Oval Office was a personal promise kept.
“She said, ‘sir, he’s fine.’ It was amazing, actually.” He repeated the mother’s insistence that her son would pull through, and he credited that conviction with bolstering the family and the broader community watching along. For Republicans who value personal responsibility and faith, the exchange underscored the importance of family grit in a crisis.
“And today, Monica — she said, ‘we’re all praying’ and I’m praying. And then she called to say, ‘Sir, he moved his finger today.’ This is like three days later — ‘he moved his finger.’” Trump told the crowd that small signs like that mattered more than reports of bleak odds. “And today I got a call that he got up from bed. Do you believe that? He got up, he got up,” Trump told the crowd, relaying the kind of progress that lifts spirits without promising a full recovery yet.
“Now, he didn’t speak. He’s not ready for that yet. I mean, you got hit in the head, but he got up, and boy, they’re so happy.” The president praised the hospital staff, military medical teams, and the generals involved for their care. “It’s amazing. And the care that they’ve given him — the hospital and the generals that have been there, the military that’s been there — it’s amazing,” he added, pointing to coordinated military and medical response as part of the recovery story.
The attack near downtown Washington on Nov. 26 left 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom dead and Wolfe in critical condition. Federal prosecutors have charged 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal in connection with the shooting, including first-degree murder charges. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the legal process is moving forward as medical teams continue to tend to Wolfe.
