Podcast Summary: The Ben Shapiro Show
Episode: Ben Reacts: National Guard Terrorist Attack
Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Ben Shapiro (The Daily Wire)
Overview
In this urgent “vacation week” edition, Ben Shapiro delivers an immediate and impassioned response to the breaking news of a terrorist attack near the White House, where two National Guard soldiers were shot by an Afghan national. Shapiro connects the attack to what he sees as failures of President Joe Biden’s foreign and immigration policies, specifically the chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan and subsequent resettlement programs. He critiques the political and ideological decisions that, in his view, enabled such tragedies, warning against policies of unvetted migration from regions hostile to American values.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Breaking Details of the Attack
- Incident Summary:
- Two National Guard troops shot in what Shapiro calls an “obviously...terrorist attack” near the White House.
- The alleged assailant: Rahmanula Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome after the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.
- Sequence: The suspect ambushed and shot a female guard (chest and head), fired at a second guard, and was ultimately subdued by a third soldier and “hauled away nearly naked” after being shot four times.
- The suspect reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack.
Quote:
"This person apparently entered the country under Operation Allies welcome and then resettled in Bellingham, Washington... and then a third guard stationed nearby rushed to the area and took him down."
— Ben Shapiro [03:00]
2. Critique of Biden’s Afghanistan Withdrawal
- Biden’s Foreign Policy Criticized:
- Shapiro strongly condemns the “cowardly and ignominious” withdrawal, arguing it directly enabled the Taliban’s resurgence, the deaths at Abbey Gate, and the oppression of Afghan women.
- He contends it was possible to have “a withdrawal that was more orderly” and provided a livable future for Afghans opposed to the Taliban.
Quote:
"Remember, Joe Biden decided that in perfectly cowardly and ignominious fashion, the United States was going to flee Afghanistan and leave the entire country in the hands of the Taliban."
— Ben Shapiro [04:08]
3. Policy Aftermath: Mass, Unvetted Migration
- Operation Allies Welcome Critiqued:
- Shapiro claims the Biden administration, “as a compensatory failure,” admitted tens of thousands of Afghans with inadequate vetting.
- He distinguishes between vetted allies (e.g., translators) and “unvetted thousands,” emphasizing the risk of importing “terror-minded people.”
- He cites New York Post reporting: 90,000 Afghans admitted, with 55 found on the terrorist watchlist (nine still in the terror database as of July 2024, eight in the U.S.).
- Broader Point:
- He links this unvetted migration to larger immigration issues, invoking the example of Somali communities in Minnesota and concerns about assimilation, welfare fraud, and terrorism.
Quote:
"Should we be surprised that unvetted mass migrations from some of the least pro-American countries on planet Earth, that you are going to catch a bunch of people there who ought not be in the United States or those people go on to commit act of terrorism? Of course not."
— Ben Shapiro [06:45]
4. Direct Political Blame
- Assignment of Responsibility:
- Shapiro lays this attack “pure and simple” at Biden’s feet, asserting it’s the President’s duty to prevent the entry of “some of the most predictably terror minded people on earth.”
- He denounces what he perceives as a left-wing “bizarre notion” of America’s “blood guilt,” arguing that this mentality led to reckless policy and tragic results.
Quote:
"And this one is on Joe Biden, pure and simple. I don't— I don't know who else to blame. Honestly. Like it is your job to make sure that some of the most predictably terror minded people on Earth don't come into the United States."
— Ben Shapiro [07:20]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the timeline of failure:
"You have cowardice, meaning the Afghan surrender followed by foolishness, the importation of people unvetted from Afghanistan into the United States..."
[07:38] -
On cultural assimilation and U.S. security:
"When you bring in huge numbers of people from countries that do not like the United States and whose cultures are in fact not assimilative to American values, then you can't be surprised when stuff like this happens."
[06:55] -
On the heartbreaking cost:
"The result of that is a female National Guard soldier shot in the chest and in the head and a second soldier shot as well. It's horrifying stuff."
[08:05]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [01:34] — Breaking news: Attack details, identity of the suspect, sequence of the shooting
- [03:40] — Critique of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and fallout
- [05:44] — Mass migration and Operation Allies Welcome; vetting failures outlined
- [06:45] — Discussion on broader issues with unvetted migration from countries with anti-American sentiment
- [07:20] — Direct attribution of blame; philosophical critique of “blood guilt” thinking
- [08:05] — Emphasizing the human cost and summary of the consequences
Tone and Style
Shapiro’s tone is urgent, forceful, and unapologetically partisan. He employs pointed critique, sarcasm (“which, of course, is a peaceful cry of wonder and joy, as we know, historically speaking here” [03:48]), and rhetorical repetition to stress his arguments. His language is direct, emotionally charged, and intended to galvanize his audience.
Conclusion
Ben Shapiro frames the National Guard terrorist attack as the tragic but foreseeable result of Biden administration policies—both in the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal and the large-scale, poorly-vetted migration it triggered. He warns of continued dangers tied to similar policies and asserts the necessity for tougher, more security-minded immigration and foreign policy. The episode blends breaking news with sweeping policy analysis and characteristic polemic, providing listeners with both details on the event and a conservative ideological response.