National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe Receives Purple Heart at State of the Union
During Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, President Trump honored several U. S. service members and an Olympic athlete, and recognized a national guardsman wounded in a Washington, D. C., ambush by presenting him with the Purple Heart.
National Guard members recognized on the House floor
President Trump presented awards that included the Purple Heart, the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Legion of Merit and the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the address. Families of the wounded and fallen were in the House Chamber for the recognition. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe of the West Virginia National Guard received the Purple Heart in the House Chamber, which was pinned to his lapel, and the family of Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was given a posthumous Purple Heart on her behalf.
How the D. C. ambush unfolded
In November of last year, Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, and Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, both members of the West Virginia National Guard, were ambushed and shot while on patrol in Washington, D. C., near the White House. Beckstrom died in the shooting; Wolfe was critically injured but survived. The attack occurred just before 2: 15 p. m. on Nov. 26 near the intersection of 17th Street and I Street NW and was described in context as happening the day before Thanksgiving.
Wolfe’s recovery timeline and official updates
Wolfe was taken to the hospital in serious condition. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morissey said Wolfe was still hospitalized in December. A West Virginia National Guard press release said Wolfe entered service in 2019 and on Dec. 12, 2025 the Guard announced he was breathing on his own and could stand with assistance; he was later transferred to a rehabilitation facility, though his family declined to disclose its location and it is unclear in the provided context exactly when he was released.
How fellow Guardsmen stopped the suspect
The context states Wolfe was on patrol with several other Guardsmen when another National Guard member fired back at the suspect and hit him. While the suspect was on the ground and trying to reload, another National Guard member tackled him. Officials arrested Rahmanullah Lakanwal at the scene.
Charges, federal filings and a plea
Lakanwal was originally charged under D. C. criminal statutes with first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill while armed and assault with intent to kill. The U. S. Attorney for D. C., Jeanine Pirro, also filed federal charges against him. He faces two federal counts: transporting or receiving firearms in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent to commit an offense, and transporting or shipping a stolen firearm in interstate or foreign commerce. The Afghan national arrested in connection with the shooting pleaded not guilty earlier this month to federal charges.
Other honorees: an Olympic goalie and a century-old Navy captain
President Trump said Connor Hellebuyck, goalie for the U. S. men’s hockey team, will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Mr. Trump credited Hellebuyck’s goalkeeping with helping the U. S. defeat Canada 2-1 in the gold-medal game on Sunday, giving the United States its first men’s hockey gold since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team. Hellebuyck and his teammates met with Mr. Trump at the White House earlier Tuesday before attending the State of the Union, where they received a roaring ovation from lawmakers; the president said, "I've never seen a goalie play as well as Connor Hellebuyck. "
Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams, age 100, received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Korean War in 1952, when he shot down four Soviet MiG-15 jets during a 35-minute dogfight with seven Soviet jets off the coast of the Korean Peninsula — an engagement described as one of the longest aerial confrontations in U. S. Navy history and long kept secret. Williams received a several-minute standing ovation as First Lady Melania Trump presented the award.
Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover, wounded during the operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro, was also presented with the Medal of Honor. The president said Slover was the pilot in the first Chinook helicopter that descended on Maduro's military compound in the middle of the night and was "hit very badly in the leg and hip" while preparing to land.
Wolfe was recognized in the House Chamber alongside his mother, Melody, and Major General James D. Seward of the West Virginia National Guard presented Wolfe with the Purple Heart. President Trump said, "With God's help, Andrew has battled back from the edge of death, " and he spoke about Beckstrom's service extension and the circumstances of her killing.
Lakanwal has been charged at the local and federal level and pleaded not guilty earlier this month to federal charges; further court proceedings were noted in the context but no dates for upcoming hearings are provided in the material. The State of the Union recognitions concluded Tuesday night on the House floor.
