In a moment that drew gasps from a Pennsylvania crowd and sent ripples across the country, President Donald Trump on Tuesday shared an unexpected and dramatic medical update on West Virginia National Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe — the survivor of a deadly Thanksgiving Eve ambush in Washington, D.C.
Speaking at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Trump described Wolfe’s recovery as “nothing short of miraculous,” revealing that the 24-year-old Guardsman had “got up from bed” just days after doctors warned he had almost no chance of survival. The shooting also claimed the life of 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom.
Trump said he has remained in close contact with Wolfe’s family since the attack, recalling emotional late-night calls with Wolfe’s mother, whom he described as a pillar of faith.
“The night that he was so badly hit and the doctors gave him almost no chance, I called their hospital room,” Trump told the crowd. “His mother said, ‘Sir, he’ll be fine… I’m praying, the whole country is praying. Don’t worry about it.’”
The president recounted that even as physicians delivered grim assessments, Wolfe’s mother refused to relinquish hope. His father, Trump said, was devastated but steadfast in supporting his son. Both parents were later invited to the Oval Office.
Trump detailed the slow but extraordinary signs of recovery: first a slight finger movement three days after the shooting, and now the unexpected news that Wolfe had risen from his hospital bed.
“Today I got a call that he got up from bed,” Trump said. “Do you believe that? He got up.”
Though Wolfe has not yet spoken, the president emphasized that medical teams are “amazed” by his progress, praising the military and hospital staff who have remained at his bedside.
Wolfe and Beckstrom were ambushed near Farragut West in downtown Washington on Nov. 26. Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries, while Wolfe was rushed into critical care. Federal prosecutors have charged 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal with first-degree murder and related offenses.
As Wolfe continues to fight for recovery, Trump’s announcement — punctuated by the phrase “he got up” — has quickly become a symbol of resilience amid tragedy, offering a rare moment of uplift in the aftermath of a shocking attack.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
