National Guard troops in DC will carry ‘service-issue weapons’
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Hegseth authorizes 2,000 National Guard troops to carry weapons in DC if necessary: US official
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized almost 2,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen to be armed in Washington, D.C. The troops could start carrying weapons in the coming days, though they will not be able to make arrests. They will still be under orders to temporarily detain people if needed before transferring them to law enforcement as soon as possible. On Thursday, President Donald Trump met with law enforcement and National Guard personnel on the front lines of his crime crackdown. The same day as Trump’s meeting, the Metropolitan Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that there had not been a homicide in the city for over a week.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized almost 2,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen to be armed in Washington, D.C. if their mission requires it, a U.S. official confirmed to FOX News.
“At the direction of the Secretary of Defense, JTF-DC members supporting the mission to lower the crime rate in our nation’s capital will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training,” a U.S. defense official told FOX News.
VANCE SAYS NATIONAL GUARD IS ‘BUSTING THEIR A–’ IN WASHINGTON, FLOATS MISSION EXTENSION
“The Interim Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard retains the authority to make any necessary force posture adjustments in coordination with the D.C. Metropolitan Police and Federal law enforcement partners. The D.C. National Guard remains committed to safeguarding the District of Columbia and serving those who live, work, and visit the District,” the official added.
The troops could start carrying weapons in the coming days, though they will not be able to make arrests. Additionally, they will still be under orders to temporarily detain people if needed before transferring them to law enforcement as soon as possible.
NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS FROM SIX RED STATES HEAD TO DC TO HELP TACKLE CRIME
On Thursday, President Donald Trump met with law enforcement and National Guard personnel on the front lines of his crime crackdown. The president also said he was flooded with calls thanking him, telling the law enforcement personnel that it was “a great tribute to you.”
“We want to make this absolutely perfect. It’s our capital. And, I guess it used to be many years ago, safe, but it’s certainly not had a, a very good run. And you got to be strong. You got to be tough. You got to do your job. Whatever it takes to do your job, you got to do your job,” Trump said.
TRUMP JOINS POLICE AND MILITARY FORCES IN WASHINGTON STREETS
The same day as Trump’s meeting with law enforcement and National Guard personnel, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) confirmed to Fox News Digital that there had not been a homicide in the city for over a week, coinciding with the crackdown.
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MPD released its 2025 Year-to-Date Crime Comparison on Friday, which noted that violent crime in the city has dropped by 27% since 2024, including a 12% decrease in homicides. The city saw an 8% dip in crime over the last year, according to MPD’s report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
National Guard members on DC streets for Trump’s crackdown will soon be armed, military says
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered that National Guard troops patrolling the streets of Washington will start carrying firearms. The step is an escalation in Trump’s intervention into policing in the nation’s capital. Nearly 2,000 National Guard members have been stationed in the heavily Democratic city. The troops have not taken part in law enforcement and largely have been protecting landmarks including the National Mall and Union Station. The Pentagon and the Army had said last week that troops would not carry guns. The new guidance is that they will carry their service-issued weapons, the Pentagon said Friday. The city’s police department and the offices of Mayor Muriel Bowser and Attorney General Brian Schwalb did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered that National Guard troops patrolling the streets of Washington for President Donald Trump’s law enforcement crackdown will start carrying firearms, the Pentagon said Friday.
The Defense Department didn’t offer any other details about the new development or why it was needed.
The step is an escalation in Trump’s intervention into policing in the nation’s capital and comes as nearly 2,000 National Guard members have been stationed in the heavily Democratic city, with the arrival this week of hundreds of troops from several Republican-led states.
Trump initially called up 800 members of the District of Columbia National Guard to assist federal law enforcement in his bid to crack down on crime, homelessness and illegal immigration. Since then, six states have sent troops to the city, growing the military presence.
It was unclear if the guard’s role in the federal intervention could be changing. The troops have not taken part in law enforcement and largely have been protecting landmarks including the National Mall and Union Station and helping with crowd control.
Some troops have fed squirrels. One Guard member helped a woman carry her belongings down the stairs in a train station. Others have been seen taking photos with passers-by, standing around chatting and drinking coffee. There have been no overt indications they have faced threats that would require weapons.
Trump has boasted that the city is safer than ever because of his intervention. He told reporters Friday that “it’s a miracle what’s happened.”
“D.C. was a hell hole,” he said. “But now it’s safe.”
He suggested that he could prolong the deployment of troops and federal agents in Washington.
“The big question is how long do we stay?” he said. “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 noted that he would ask Congress for $2 billion to improve the appearance of the city, including resurfacing roads and sprucing up streetlights. He’s previously pledged to improve the grass to look like one of his golf courses.
“It’s going to be safe, and it’s going to be beautified,” he said.
The Pentagon and the Army had said last week that troops would not carry guns. The new guidance is that they will carry their service-issued weapons.
The city’s police department and the offices of Mayor Muriel Bowser and Attorney General Brian Schwalb did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The city had been informed about the intent for the National Guard to be armed, a person familiar with the conversations said earlier this week. The person was not authorized to disclose the plans and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Spokespeople for the District of Columbia National Guard and a military task force overseeing all the guard troops in Washington did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
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Associated Press writers Matthew Brown, Ashraf Khalil and Anna Johnson contributed to this report.
Hegseth orders National Guard troops in DC to carry weapons
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard members patrolling the streets of Washington, DC, to begin carrying their service weapons. More than 1,900 troops from multiple states have been called up as part of the mission including from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Louisiana, and Tennessee. The directive represents a notable shift in guidance from the Pentagon, which had previously indicated that National Guard troops could be armed if the circumstances warranted.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard members patrolling the streets of Washington, DC, to begin carrying their service weapons as they fulfill President Donald Trump’s crime crackdown in the nation’s capital, according to a US defense official.
The directive from Hegseth represents a notable shift in guidance from the Pentagon, which had previously indicated that National Guard members could be armed if the circumstances warranted, and suggests hundreds of guard troops deployed in DC will soon be carrying weapons despite serving in a support role.
“At the direction of the Secretary of Defense, (Joint Task Force) JTF-DC members supporting the mission to lower the crime rate in our Nation’s capital will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training,” the official said.
The D.C. National Guard remains committed to safeguarding the District of Columbia and serving those who live, work, and visit the District,” the official added.
It comes as other states’ National Guard members have begun arriving in Washington, DC, to be in-processed to assist the DC National Guard.
More than 1,900 troops from multiple states have been called up as part of the mission including from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Louisiana, and Tennessee National Guards, according to a release from Joint Task Force – DC on Thursday.
The Trump administration has increasingly touted the presence of National Guard members and additional federal law enforcement officers in recent days.
Hegseth approves up to 2,000 National Guard troops to carry weapons in DC if needed: FOX News
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized up to 2,000 National Guard troops to carry weapons in Washington, D.C. The move comes as the Trump administration ramps up efforts to combat crime.
“At the direction of the Secretary of Defense, JTF-DC members supporting the mission to lower the crime rate in our nation’s capital will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training,” a U.S. defense official told FOX News.
READ MORE: 719 arrests, 91 illegal guns seized in DC since beginning of Trump’s federal takeover: Bondi
Troops could begin carrying weapons within days, as the Trump administration ramps up efforts to combat crime in the nation’s capital.
This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 5 DC for updates.
The Source: Information in this article comes from FOX News.
National Guard Members On DC Streets Will Be Armed, Military Says
Nearly 2,000 National Guard members have been stationed in the heavily Democratic city. The troops have not taken part in law enforcement and largely have been protecting landmarks. The Pentagon and the Army had said last week that troops would not carry guns. The new guidance is that they will carry their service-issued weapons.“It’s going to be safe, and it’’ President Donald Trump has boasted that the city is safer than ever because of his intervention. He told reporters Friday that “it”s a miracle what’�s happened”“D.C. was a hell hole,” he said, “But now it�’re safe.” “The big question is how long do we stay?” Trump said. “Because if we stay, we want to make sure it doesn’t come back”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered that National Guard troops patrolling the streets of Washington for President Donald Trump’s law enforcement crackdown will start carrying firearms, the Pentagon said Friday.
The Defense Department didn’t offer any other details about the new development or why it was needed.
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The step is an escalation in Trump’s intervention into policing in the nation’s capital and comes as nearly 2,000 National Guard members have been stationed in the heavily Democratic city, with the arrival this week of hundreds of troops from several Republican-led states.
Trump initially called up 800 members of the District of Columbia National Guard to assist federal law enforcement in his bid to crack down on crime, homelessness and illegal immigration. Since then, six states have sent troops to the city, growing the military presence.
It was unclear if the guard’s role in the federal intervention could be changing. The troops have not taken part in law enforcement and largely have been protecting landmarks including the National Mall and Union Station and helping with crowd control.
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Some troops have fed squirrels. One Guard member helped a woman carry her belongings down the stairs in a train station. Others have been seen taking photos with passers-by, standing around chatting and drinking coffee. There have been no overt indications they have faced threats that would require weapons.
Trump has boasted that the city is safer than ever because of his intervention. He told reporters Friday that “it’s a miracle what’s happened.”
“D.C. was a hell hole,” he said. “But now it’s safe.”
He suggested that he could prolong the deployment of troops and federal agents in Washington.
“The big question is how long do we stay?” he said. “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.”
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Trump noted that he would ask Congress for $2 billion to improve the appearance of the city, including resurfacing roads and sprucing up streetlights. He’s previously pledged to improve the grass to look like one of his golf courses.
“It’s going to be safe, and it’s going to be beautified,” he said.
The Pentagon and the Army had said last week that troops would not carry guns. The new guidance is that they will carry their service-issued weapons.
The city’s police department and the offices of Mayor Muriel Bowser and Attorney General Brian Schwalb did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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The city had been informed about the intent for the National Guard to be armed, a person familiar with the conversations said earlier this week. The person was not authorized to disclose the plans and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Spokespeople for the District of Columbia National Guard and a military task force overseeing all the guard troops in Washington did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
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Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/22/dc-national-guard-weapons-00519563