Hegseth says two members of the West Virginia National Guard will receive the Purple Heart
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Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth said Friday that two members of the West Virginia National Guard – Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe – who was shot during an attack near the White House late last year, will receive a Purple Heart.
Calling the Nov. 26 incident “a terrible thing” and saying that the military was “attacked by serious people,” Hegseth made the announcement while speaking at a National Guard reenlistment ceremony at the Washington Monument, where he administered the oath of enlistment to more than 100 guardsmen from nine states serving in Washington, DC.
“And something really bad happened in the last few months,” Hegseth said. “Andrew Wolfe, Sarah Beckstrom, one lost, one recovered, thank God, in amazing ways. Both will soon be Purple Heart recipients because they were radicalized.”
The remarks marked the first public confirmation from Hegseth that service members will receive the Purple Heart, one of the nation’s oldest military decorations, awarded to those killed or wounded by enemy action.
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Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth holds a reenlistment ceremony for members of the National Guard at the Washington Monument, Friday, in Washington, DC. (Photo by DoW/US Navy Petty Officer Class 1st Alexander Kubizza)
The Purple Heart traces its origins to the American Revolution, when George Washington established the Badge of Military Honor in 1782, to recognize enlisted soldiers wounded or killed in service. The modern Purple Heart was revived in 1932, and is awarded in the name of the president to US service members wounded or killed by enemy action.
Beckstrom, 20, and Wolfe, 24, were shot from the White House in what officials described as a sneak attack.
Beckstrom died a day after the shooting. Wolfe was seriously injured and is still recovering.
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Army National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom was killed in a shooting, Nov. 26, Washington DC (Department of Justice)
The suspected gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is facing nine charges related to the shooting incident, including armed murder and armed assault. He pleaded not guilty.
In a statement posted to X, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey thanked Hegseth for the announcement and said the recognition was a long time coming.
“Thank you to Secretary @PeteHegseth for announcing that US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe will soon receive the Purple Heart, an honor that recognizes their bravery and dedication to protecting our nation,” Morrisey wrote.
Morrisey said he formally requested the Purple Heart awards on Dec. 19, adding that the announcement “brings long-standing honor to their service, provides meaning and reassurance to their families, and is a strong reminder that West Virginia will never forget those who sacrificed to protect others.”
Hegseth’s words on Friday came during a ceremony to honor the ongoing work of security guards in the nation’s capital.
According to an Army Department news release, more than 100 Guardsmen from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia re-enlisted Friday as part of the mission.
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National Guard Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was injured in the shooting, Nov. 26, Washington DC (Department of Justice)
Those soldiers are among more than 2,600 members of the National Guard currently sent to Washington by order of President Donald Trump to support the DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force, which was established in August 2025 after the president declared a crime emergency in the city.
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Speaking to the guards, Hegseth described their service in Washington as “front line” work.
“This is not an easy assignment. It’s a real story. It’s a priority,” he said. “You did it, and you did it well.”
The military was not immediately available for comment after being contacted by Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this story.
