The United States armed forces are gearing up to mobilize National Guard units within the vicinity of Washington DC. This move comes under President Trump’s aggressive campaign to curb street crime within the city. Official deployment orders had not been signed off by the President as of Monday morning. However, an imminent announcement from the White House is expected, where President Trump would outline plans to dispatch several hundreds of the District of Columbia’s National Guardsmen in aid of law enforcement duties within the capital.
Early Monday, it was not immediately clear to pinpoint any specific details relating to this deployment. The ongoing narrative of crime rates in the capital city has generally shown a downward trend. However, according to President Trump, the situation is not as it seems, and he alleges the city’s crime rates are soaring alarmingly.
As the commander-in-chief, he has suggested these crime rates are ‘completely unmanageable’ and has even openly mulled over the possibility of a federal intervention. The potential activation of the National Guard units was first reported by Reuters, is believed to fall under this intervention.
It is pertinent to note that the National Guard, despite their imminent potential deployment, may not have the power to arrest individuals. Their primary role would involve connectional support to law enforcement agencies, thereby freeing up officers to focus on their patrol obligations.
Furthering his commitment towards his stringent crime crackdown, the Trump administration also has aspirations to deploy 120 FBI agents in Washington. These agents would principally be allocated to after-dark patrol operations. This reassignment is also a part of President Trump’s determined campaign.
The bulk of these agents are to be drawn from the standard responsibilities at the FBI’s Washington field office. This new assignment in Washington brings back memories of the earlier summer deployment during which nearly 5,000 National Guard troops were dispensed to Los Angeles.
The deployment in Los Angeles was to support law enforcement in controlling protests that had taken a violent turn due to a crackdown on immigration raids. The additional manpower was also to ensure the safety of federal agents who were in command of these operations.
Confirming the commitment of the National Guard, all but a mere 250 of the National Guard troops have since been commanded to withdraw. The remaining units are currently maintaining their supportive roles in Los Angeles.
Looking back on President Trump’s first term, it is not uncommon to find instances where he utilized the services of the National Guard and federal law enforcement personnel to suppress peaceful protestations. This was especially evident during the Black Lives Matter rallies following the tragic event of George Floyd’s death at police hands in 2020.
Contrasting to the general practice where a state’s governor would have control over its National Guard, the case in the District of Columbia is slightly different. Here, the president has extensive jurisdiction to employ these troops whenever deemed necessary.
This provides the President with a significant maneuvering ability for the deployment of the National Guard in the District of Columbia. Thus, the city’s law enforcement possesses additional resources to manage the crime situation in the city, in this case under President Trump’s directive.
The post Trump’s New Strategy: National Guard Units to Curb Washington DC Crime Rates appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
