Washington DC - Donald Trump's administration suspended the processing of all immigration requests from Afghan nationals as the president responded to the shooting of two members of the National Guard in Washington DC.

The main suspect in Wednesday's attack, which left the two soldiers in critical condition, has been named as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who reportedly worked with the US Army in Afghanistan.

In a video address, Trump said 29-year-old – who was also hospitalized – arrived in 2021 "on those infamous flights," referring to the chaotic evacuations of Afghans as the Taliban took over following the botched US retreat.

Calling the country "a hellhole on Earth," the Republican blamed his predecessor Joe Biden, even though records cited by CNN showed Lakanwal's asylum request was granted by Trump's own administration this year.

Trump said that "every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden" will now be re-examined, adding: "We must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country."

Soon after Trump's address, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services suspended all Afghan applications indefinitely.

"Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols," the agency wrote on social media.

AfghanEvac, a group that helped resettle Afghans in the US, said they undergo "some of the most extensive security vetting of any population entering the country."

"This individual's isolated and violent act should not be used as an excuse to define or diminish an entire community," said its president, Shawn VanDiver.

The organization warned against "any attempt to leverage this tragedy as a political ploy to isolate or harm Afghans who have resettled in the United States."