Washington, DC — President Donald Trump has authorised the full mobilisation of 800 Army and Air National Guardsmen in the US capital under what he calls a “criminal emergency”, even as police data shows violent crime has declined over the past year.
Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said the troops, operating under Joint Task Force DC, will assist the Metropolitan Police Department and federal agencies with monument security, traffic control, community patrols, and protection of federal facilities. They will remain deployed “until law and order has been restored… as determined by the president.”
The move follows Trump’s federal takeover of DC’s police department earlier this week, marking the first time since 1965 that a US president has deployed the National Guard against the wishes of a state governor. DC’s Guard already reports directly to the president rather than a governor.
Critics argue the escalation is unnecessary, pointing to Metropolitan Police figures showing significant drops in homicide and assault rates in 2024, after pandemic-era surges. Supporters say the deployment will enhance security and restore public order.
The White House reported 45 arrests last night, including 29 undocumented immigrants, as part of a broader law enforcement operation involving more than 1,650 personnel. While Guardsmen can detain individuals, they do not have arrest powers, Wilson clarified.
This marks the latest flashpoint in Trump’s law-and-order agenda, as debates intensify over federal authority, public safety, and political motives behind the crackdown.
