The United States military is gearing up to mobilize the National Guard troops in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. This step comes as a measure enforced by the Trump administration to counter the escalating street crime issue. Even though the formal orders of deployment have not been sanctioned by the president as of early Monday, it is projected that an announcement regarding the same will be made in a press conference at the White House. It is speculated that an array of a few hundred National Guardsmen from the District of Columbia could be called to bolster law enforcement entities in the capital.
Although the crime rates in Washington, D.C., have been recorded on a downward trajectory, the president has declared these incidents as an ‘utterly uncontrollable’ state of affairs, hinting at possible federal intervention if necessary. The reports that previously surfaced about the potential activation of the National Guard troops, as per Reuters, suggested that they would likely not possess the power to detain or arrest. Their primary role would likely be to provide auxiliary assistance to law enforcement authorities, which could result in their being more available for patrol duties.
The further strategies outlined by the Trump administration to curb the rising crime rates encompass the temporary reassignment of approximately 120 F.B.I agents in Washington to take on nocturnal patrol responsibilities. The majority of these agents will be deputed from their regular roles at the Washington field office of the F.B.I. This decision is also part of the president’s effort to mitigate the current crime situation.
The decision to mobilize troops in Washington comes as a pivot after this summer saw the deployment of almost 5,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles. These soldiers were sent with directives to assist in controlling the protests that had ignited due to immigration raids and also to safeguard federal agents overseeing these operations. However, almost all of these National Guardsmen, apart from around 250, have since been relieved.
During his first presidential term, Mr. Trump addressed the wave of peaceful protests following the killing of George Floyd by the police in 2020 through a different approach. He called upon the National Guard soldiers along with federal law enforcement officials to dispel the crowds gathered for the Black Lives Matter protests.
A unique factor related to the District of Columbia’s governance is the lack of control over its National Guard by the state governor. Instead, the President is endowed with wide latitude to deploy the troops of the National Guard in D.C. Given this, President Trump has significant freedom in determining how to best leverage these troops within the capital.
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