The Trump administration’s decision to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington D.C. has sparked intense controversy and protests.
West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio have pledged to send troops to the nation’s capital, with West Virginia deploying 300 to 400 guard troops, South Carolina pledging 200, and Ohio sending 150.
According to West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey’s office, the deployment is “a show of commitment to public safety and regional cooperation”.
The move comes after President Donald Trump federalized local police forces and activated about 800 District of Columbia National Guard members.
Trump claims that the deployment is necessary to curb crime and homelessness in the city. However, data from the D.C. police department shows that violent crime is at a 30-year low and has declined by 26% since Trump returned to office in January.
A protest against Trump’s intervention drew scores to Dupont Circle, with demonstrators assembling behind a banner that read, “no fascist takeover of DC”, and some holding signs saying, “No military occupation”.
The Chamberlain Network, a veteran’s group, expressed concerns that the National Guard deployment would pull troops away from their core mission of protecting communities. “From floods to winter storms, we count on our Guard in a crisis,” the group said. “They should be home, ready to respond—not on a political policing mission”.
The National Guard troops deployed to Washington D.C. will be serving as a visible presence in public areas, assigned to administrative and logistical duties, as well as “area beautification” work.
According to the U.S. Army, the troops will not be carrying weapons, but “weapons are available if needed but will remain in the armory”. A U.S. official told newsmen that a formal order authorizing the National Guard troops to carry firearms would be issued, but it would largely affect military police officers with sidearms.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser questioned the effectiveness of using the National Guard to enforce city laws, stating that the federal government could be more helpful by funding more prosecutors or filling the 15 vacancies on the D.C. Superior Court.
“Any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false,” Bowser added. She also noted that violent crime in Washington has decreased since a rise in 2023.
Trump has indicated that he may take similar actions in other Democratic-controlled cities.
A federal judge in San Francisco is expected to issue a ruling on whether Trump violated the law by deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June without the approval of California’s Governor Gavin Newsom.
Typically, the National Guard is deployed only in instances where a state governor requests it. However, the D.C. National Guard reports directly to the President.