President Donald Trump turned part of his State of the Union address into a moment of national respect and remembrance by awarding Purple Hearts to two National Guard members who were ambushed while on duty in Washington, D.C. last November: Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, who tragically lost her life.
Trump invited Wolfe and Beckstrom’s parents to the gallery and asked Major General James “Jim” D. Seward, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, to present the medals. The award, Trump reminded the nation, was created by none other than George Washington himself.
“It’s called the Purple Heart. We love you all,” Trump said, addressing the families and the nation.
As Seward pinned the medal on Wolfe and presented Beckstrom’s Purple Heart to her parents, Trump spoke directly to them. He called their daughter “a true American patriot” and said she would be greatly missed, adding that reports about her bravery showed she was an extraordinary young woman.
Turning to Wolfe, Trump recounted how doctors believed he would not survive, until Wolfe’s mother insisted otherwise. “No, no, Mr. President, Andrew will be fine. He’s going to make it,” Trump recalled, praising both Wolfe’s resilience and his mother’s faith. According to Trump, the recovery was nothing short of remarkable — and yes, that’s the kind of stubborn American spirit textbooks should be written about.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey called the presentation a “solemn and unforgettable moment,” noting that their courage and sacrifice were honored not just by their state, but before the entire nation.
Beckstrom, just 20 years old, and Wolfe, 24, were shot just blocks from the White House in what authorities are investigating as a terror attack. The alleged shooter is an Afghan refugee who entered the United States during Operation Allies Welcome following the 2021 Kabul withdrawal.
The House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution honoring both service members. Lawmakers described them as representing the very best of the nation — young Americans driven by service, duty, and compassion.
In a chamber often filled with shouting and political theater, this moment cut through the noise. Two brave soldiers, one fallen and one fighting on, were honored the way heroes should be — in front of the American people, by a president who knows what sacrifice looks like. And that is exactly how a grateful nation should remember them.
