The Pentagon officially confirmed that National Guard troops deployed in Washington, D.C., under President Donald Trump's law enforcement crackdown will now be equipped. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the order on Friday, a sharp turn to the escalation of the federal presence on the streets of the capital.
No explanation was given for the change, although the move is made amid almost 2,000 Guard members having been deployed throughout the city. The force consists of hundreds of troops who have been deployed by air from Republican-leaning states to bolster the president's push to crack down on crime, homelessness, and illegal immigration in the strongly Democratic city.
At first, only 800 members of the District of Columbia National Guard were mobilized, but the scope of the deployment has now expanded enormously.
So far, the Guard has had a largely symbolic and assistive function. Soldiers have been observed patrolling tourist attractions like the National Mall and Union Station, crowd control, and even assisting locals with minor chores such as holding suitcases or feeding squirrels in public parks.
The Pentagon earlier indicated that Guard members would remain unarmed. This new directive has brought into question whether their function would be altered from support missions to actual law enforcement. There have not yet been any apparent threats to justify arming the troops, and the action has already caused some concern among local authorities.
Mayor Muriel Bowser's and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb's offices did not have immediate comments, but city officials had been notified earlier this week of the proposal to arm the Guard, according to reports.
President Trump has consistently justified the deployment, stating that his action has made Washington safer. Addressing reporters on Friday, he articulated the capital's change in unvarnished language.
D.C. was a hell hole," Trump stated. "But now it's safe. It's a miracle what's happened."
He suggested that the troops might stay for a long time, stating, "The big question is how long do we stay? Because if we stay, we want to make sure it doesn't come back. So we have to take care of these criminals and get them out.
Trump also teased proposals to request Congress to provide $2 billion to renovate the city's infrastructure. His plan involves paving streets, upgrading streetlights, and even beautifying public lawns to the level of his golf club grass. "It's going to be safe, and it's going to be beautified," he promised.
While the White House has complimented the deployment, there are plenty of doubters in Washington who are not convinced about the broader role for the military to police the city. Critics contend that sending troops with guns mixes up federal law enforcement and military control, raising constitutional and public safety issues.
As the Pentagon went ahead to equip Guard members after initial promises, the news represents a further entrenchment of Trump's divisive effort to redefine security in the nation's capital leaving residents and officials questioning how far the intervention will ultimately extend.
