After Trump announced federal takeover of Washington police, all 800 National Guard troops ordered by President Donald Trump to the nation's capital have now been fully mobilised, the Pentagon confirmed on Thursday.
The deployment marks the latest escalation in Trump's authorised 'criminal emergency' in Washington, DC, a city where violent crime rates, as per numbers, have actually declined over the past year.
"As of today, all 800 Army and Air National Guardsmen are mobilised, as part of Joint Task Force DC, and they are now here in our capital," Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told journalists.
They "will assist the DC Metropolitan Police Department and federal law enforcement partners with monument security, community safety patrols, protecting federal facilities and officers" and traffic control posts, Wilson said.
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Wilson added that the Guard will remain deployed "until law and order has been restored in the District, as determined by the president."
{{/usCountry}}Wilson added that the Guard will remain deployed "until law and order has been restored in the District, as determined by the president."
{{/usCountry}}The troops' presence follows a dramatic federal takeover of DC's police department announced by Trump on Monday, vowing "to take our capital back."
While the move has drawn support from some conservatives, critics point to data from the DC Metropolitan Police showing that violent crimes—including homicide and assault—have dropped significantly in 2024, following a spike during the pandemic years.
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It is the first time since 1965 that a US president deployed the National Guard against the wishes of a state governor.
Most National Guard forces answer to state governors and have to be "federalised" to be brought under presidential control, but in Washington, these troops already report only to the US president.
Dozens arrested in Washington
The White House said there were 45 arrests in Washington last night, including 29 arrests of people living in the country illegally, and that over 1,650 people are now participating in the law enforcement operation.
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While the National Guard will be able to temporarily detain people while assisting law enforcement, they will not have the power of arrest, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said Thursday.