District of Columbia National Guard members arrive at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 17, 2025. Guard members are positioned at key locations throughout the city to provide a visible security presence alongside law enforcement partners. (U.S. Army photo)
WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized nearly 2,000 National Guard troops to carry weapons as operations expand throughout the city as part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to crack down on crime, a defense official said.
“At the direction of the Secretary of Defense, [Joint Task Force-District of Columbia] members supporting the mission to lower the crime rate in our nation’s capital will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training,” a defense official said on the condition of anonymity. “The interim commanding general of the D.C. National Guard retains the authority to make any necessary force posture adjustments in coordination with the D.C. Metropolitan Police and federal law enforcement partners.”
The Pentagon did not offer more details regarding the decision.
The Army and Pentagon said last week that troops would not carry weapons. But a White House official said Monday on the condition of anonymity that “They may be armed, consistent with their mission and training.”
Trump on Thursday visited the U.S. Park Police Anacostia Operations Facility in southeast Washington, which is serving as the gathering point for all the agencies involved in the operation, thanking officers and members of the military.
During his visit, Trump suggested the troops could stay for six months or longer.
“You do the job on safety, and I’ll get this place fixed up physically, and we’re going to be so proud of it at the end of six months,” he said. “But let’s say at the end of the year, this place will be maxed out in terms of beauty. You’ll have all new surfaces. You’ll have all new medians, everything’s going to look beautiful.”
Trump told radio host Todd Starnes on Thursday that the D.C. deployment of troops was “sort of a test” and indicated his administration would copy the model in other cities throughout the United States.
As of Thursday, roughly 1,997 Army and Air Guard troops are in Washington, the Joint Task Force said in a statement. Six Republican-led states approved sending troops to Washington as part of Trump’s effort to combat crime in the city. Guard troops from Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, Ohio and South Carolina have been arriving this week.
A Guard all-terrain vehicle involved in a car crash Wednesday has been ticketed for running a red light, The Associated Press reported.
“Our priority is ensuring the well-being of all involved. We are grateful for the response of D.C. police and EMS. Safety is our top priority. We will take action based on the investigation. This type of vehicle is authorized, and safety protocols are in place,” Army Col. Larry Doane, commander of the Joint Task Force, said in a statement to the AP.
D.C. police data indicates violent crime has decreased 26% compared to last year. The D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office also announced in January that violent crime in the city in 2024 was at a 30-year low, citing police data.
The Justice Department is investigating whether D.C. police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower, The Washington Post reported.
Trump said Friday in a post on Truth Social that “there were no murders this week for the first time in memory.”
“Mayor Muriel Bowser must immediately stop giving false and highly inaccurate crime figures, or bad things will happen, including a complete and total federal takeover of the city,” he said. “Washington, D.C. will soon be great again!!!”
