National Guard members started arriving in Washington on Tuesday morning, just a day after President Trump announced the deployment of about 800 troops to tackle what he described as rampant violent crime in the city.
According to White House officials speaking to a network affiliated with The Hill, the military has checked in at the DC Armory, which is the National Guard’s headquarters, and they are expected to be operational later that same day.
During a lengthy press conference on Monday, Trump revealed that the Department of Justice would take control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He argued that the city was experiencing a criminal emergency, although reports indicate that violent crime had dropped significantly following a spike during the 2023 Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’ve deployed the National Guard to help restore law, order, and public safety in Washington, D.C., and they’re here to do their jobs effectively,” he stated.
However, the president didn’t elaborate on how deploying security forces or taking over police operations would address underlying issues like homelessness, substance abuse, or violent crime.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, characterized Trump’s plans as “unsteady and unprecedented,” pushing back calmly against what she deemed unfounded claims, noting that official statistics reveal a consistent decrease in crime in the city.
Adam Smith, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, accused Trump of attempting to establish his own domestic police force. “It’s apparent that the president is trying to create a domestic police in stages. Regardless of his views on crime in D.C. or other cities, this should raise serious concerns,” Smith told CNN.
It’s still unclear how the National Guard will be positioned throughout the capital and what their command structure will look like. The U.S. Army indicated that their involvement would focus on administrative and logistical support, along with providing a physical presence to aid law enforcement.
As per the Army’s information, only about 100-200 soldiers will be actively supporting law enforcement at any given time.
This isn’t the first time Trump has deployed the National Guard; previously, he called for their assistance in California during protests against immigration measures in Los Angeles last June. During those events, around 4,000 California troops primarily remained on standby as protests diminished significantly after the initial week.
