Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was left dumbstruck Sunday when, after blaming the shooting last week of two National Guard members on the Biden administration, she was confronted with the fact that the suspect shooter actually had their asylum request approved under the Trump administration.
Last Wednesday, an Afghan migrant allegedly shot two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., killing one and leaving the other in critical condition. The suspected shooter, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, migrated to the United States after the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and had also worked for the CIA for so-called counter-terrorism operations.
Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press with Kristen Welker, Noem laid the blame for the shooting squarely on the Biden administration, arguing that the previous administration had put the United States in a “dangerous situation.”
“The vetting process happens when the person comes into the country, and Joe Biden completely did not vet any of those individuals, did not vet this individual!” Noem said.
However, the facts told a different story, as brought up by Welker, who pushed back on Noem’s remarks.
“His asylum was approved in April of this year on the Trump administration's watch, so just to be very clear, was there a vetting process in place to approve that asylum request?” Welker asked.
“Yeah, the vetting process all happened under Joe Biden's administration,” Noem responded.
Welker pushed back further, noting that whether or not Lakanwal was vetted upon entering the United States, his asylum request was still approved under the second Trump administration.
“But was he vetted when he was granted asylum, are you saying he wasn't vetted when he was granted asylum?” Welker pushed back.
Stammering, Noem essentially repeated her previous deflection, and again laid blame for the shooting on the Biden administration.
“Vetting is – vetting is – vetting is happening when they come into the country, and that was completely abandoned under Joe Biden's administration,” Noem said.
Welker: What vetting did the Trump administration do before giving this suspect asylum?
Noem: That’s the Biden administration’s responsibility.
Welker: Asylum was approved in April of this year on the Trump administration’s watch. So just to be very clear, was there a vetting… pic.twitter.com/GRCO3ygIVm
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 30, 2025