The shooting near the White House has thrown everything into doubt. Two West Virginia National Guard members were hit, but no one can say with certainty how they’re doing. Governor Patrick Morrisey first announced they had been kil-led, then quickly walked it back after receiving conflicting updates. Trump, on the other hand, said the soldiers were critically wounded and that the suspected shooter was also severely injured.

Police locked down the area around Farragut West soon after the att-ack. One suspect was taken into custody, office buildings were sealed, workers were told to stay away from glass facing the square, and even the White House went into lockdown. Witnesses saw Guard members running across the area while emergency vehicles crowded the streets, all unfolding as the Metropolitan Police confirmed the scene was secure.

The timing makes the situation even heavier. Washington is already packed with more than 2,300 National Guard troops under a controversial Trump-ordered deployment, with West Virginia sending the second-largest group. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump has now requested 500 more troops, even as a federal judge has ruled the ongoing deployment illegal but put that decision on hold. The confusion, the growing troop presence and the uncertainty around the soldiers’ condition have all intensified criticism from across the country.