President Trump has asked for an additional 500 National Guard members to be sent to Washington, D.C., as reported by Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth.
This request follows a tragic incident on Wednesday where two National Guard personnel were killed just a few blocks from the White House.
“We will not back down. We will secure the capital and our cities,” Hegseth told reporters on Wednesday. “At the president’s request, I will be urging the Secretary of the Army to deploy 500 more National Guard troops to D.C.,” he added.
“This further cements our dedication to ensuring Washington, D.C. is safe and appealing. We’re witnessing historic crime reductions and significant improvements in safety and security.”
Currently, there are around 2,100 National Guard troops stationed in Washington, D.C., which includes about 900 from the D.C. National Guard and around 1,200 from various states, according to Pentagon officials.
Local law enforcement has arrested one suspect in connection with the shooting, but that individual has not been named. D.C. Metropolitan Police Chief Jeff Carroll stated that there are “no indications of any other suspects.”
The two National Guard members affected were critically injured and were armed at the time they were attacked. They belong to the West Virginia National Guard, as detailed by Governor Patrick Morrisey.
The reasons behind the attack remain unknown, and the suspect’s identity has not yet been revealed. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser labeled the event a “targeted shooting,” suggesting that the assailant specifically aimed at these security personnel.
The shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. ET near Farragut Square, a bustling area frequented by shops and eateries. It was characterized as an “ambush.”
“At about 2:15 p.m., the D.C. National Guard was on high-visibility patrol near 17th Avenue NW and Eye Street when a suspect approached, drew a firearm, and fired at the Guardsmen,” Carroll explained.
Various law enforcement agencies, including the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, FBI, ATF, and Secret Service, responded swiftly to the scene.
President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were out of Washington, D.C. during the incident, with the president in Florida and the vice president visiting troops in Kentucky.
Since August 11, Trump has been deploying the National Guard in D.C. to address crime and enhance the city’s appeal. This initiative began after an employee of the former Department of Government Efficiency, known as Edward Coristine, was attacked while intervening in a carjacking.
Following the violent event, Trump asserted that those responsible for the chaos “will face serious consequences.”
It’s worth noting that, unlike regular law enforcement, the National Guard typically lacks the authority to make arrests under civil police law.
A federal judge recently ordered the Trump administration to withdraw the National Guard from D.C., though the implementation of this order has been postponed until December 11, allowing time for an appeal.
Furthermore, the D.C. government filed a lawsuit against Trump in September, claiming that his deployment of troops was illegal without the mayor’s consent.
Trump did briefly send troops to cities like Memphis, Chicago, and Portland, but those deployments were halted by court decisions.
