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President Donald Trump, during his Tuesday night State of the Union address, awarded the Purple Heart to Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and deceased Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, two National Guard members who were critically injured and fatally shot by a gunman who ambushed them while on duty last year in Washington, D.C.
Trump used a portion of his State of the Union address to acknowledge Wolfe and the parents of 20-year-old Beckstrom, who did not survive her injuries.
“I’m going to ask a highly respected General James Seward to present Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and the great family of Sarah Beckstrom, with the award created by our late, great president, George Washington himself,” Trump said. “It’s called the Purple Heart. We love you all.”
As Trump spoke, Major General James “Jim” D. Seward, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, presented Specialist Beckstrom’s medal to her parents and pinned the Purple Heart on Staff Sergeant Wolfe in the viewing gallery above.
National Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who survived a November 2025 shooting attack in Washington, DC, receives a Purple Heart as he is recognized by US President Donald Trump during his State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)
“Your daughter was a true American patriot,” Trump told Beckstrom’s parents, “and she will be greatly missed.”
“She was a great person,” Trump said. “I saw reports on her. They’ve never seen anything like it. So sorry.”
Addressing Wolfe, Trump said, “The doctors thought that Andrew was gone, but his mother said, ‘No, no, Mr. President, Andrew will be fine. He’s going to make it.’ I’ve never seen anything like it.”
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey praised their award in a statement, describing the award as a “solemn and unforgettable moment, one that ensured their courage and sacrifice were honored not only by West Virginia but also before the entire nation.”
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U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was “laid to rest with full military honors during a ceremony and interment on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton, West Virginia,” the National Guard said. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Edwin L. Wriston)
Beckstrom, 20, and Wolfe, 24, were both shot by a gunman just blocks from the White House last November, in what federal authorities are investigating as a terror attack.
The alleged shooter is an Afghan refugee who came to the U.S. as part of Operation Allies Welcome during the military’s withdrawal from Kabul in 2021.
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President Donald Trump walks past Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Brent Kavanaugh and Associate Justice Mary Coney Barrett as he arrives for the State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on February 24, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution honoring the two National Guard members.
“Spc. Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Wolfe represent the very best of our nation,” Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, said at the time.
“Young Americans driven by service, compassion, and a sense of duty. Their willingness to step forward to serve their communities and their country reflects the highest ideals of military and public service.”
Fox News Digital’s Liz Elkind contributed to this report
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