As part of a presidential mandate to curb urban crime, preparation is underway in the U.S. military to bring in National Guard forces into Washington, D.C. The official order of deployment from President Trump is yet to transpire as of the beginning of Monday, however, an announcement from the White House is anticipated soon. According to this upcoming announcement, it is likely that several hundred members of the District of Columbia National Guard will be dispatched to assist local police in the city. Details regarding this potential collaboration remained unclear early Monday.
Despite noticeable drops in the crime rates within Washington, D.C., the President has expressed concerns about high levels of criminal activity. He has described the current state of affairs as ‘totally out of control,’ expounding on the possibility of federal intervention should this be required. Bloomberg was the first to report the possible activation of the National Guard; however, it is important to note that these means would not inherently carry powers of apprehension.
In practice, their presence is designed to help lighten the load for law enforcement officials or to ensure they are free to conduct their regular patrol activities. Related to this initiative, the Trump administration has also proposed a short-term reassignment of 120 F.B.I. agents to work in Washington, D.C., specifically on night patrols to aid in the reduction of street crime.
These agents are expected to momentarily shift from their day-to-day roles in the F.B.I.’s Washington office. They will supplement the law enforcement efforts in the city during the night, essentially functioning as foot soldiers in President Trump’s anti-crime drive.
The anticipated deployment of troops in Washington comes in the shadow of a similar scenario that unfolded during the summer, whereby approximately 5,000 National Guard soldiers were called in to assist local law enforcement in Los Angeles. Their remit was twofold: to help control public protests after the execution of immigration raids and to ensure the safety of federal agents carrying out these operations.
For the Los Angeles mission, the majority of the National Guard troops, save for about 250, have been called back since their initial deployment. This illustrates the temporary nature of their assignments, which are structured to address immediate concerns and then allow a return to normalcy.
In his first term, President Trump elicited the assistance of National Guard soldiers and federal law enforcement personnel in an effort to disperse peaceful protests during the Black Lives Matter movement after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in 2020—an event that sparked significant civil unrest.
There is a notable difference when it comes to deployments of the National Guard in the District of Columbia compared to other states. Unlike a state governor, the District does not have authority over its National Guard. This discrepancy allows the president greater freedom to deploy these troops as required.
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