National Guard troops deployed in DC as part of crime crackdown amid political tensions.
As promised Monday, National Guard troops began deploying in Washington, DC yesterday.
National Guard troops were seen leaving the D.C. Armory on Tuesday morning. Video footage captured military vehicles stationed on a street as pedestrians walked by. It wasn’t immediately clear how many troops were in the city or what role they would play.
The presence of troops and federal law enforcement came amid the Trump administration’s plan to combat crime in the city.
Some images of the National Guard showing up downtown.
D.C. National Guard reporting for duty
The #USArmy has activated the D.C. National Guard as directed by the President under Title 32 to assist Federal and Washington D.C. law enforcement within the national capitol.
U.S. Army photos by Staff Sgt. Deonte Rowell, August 12,… pic.twitter.com/4cRWw572kl— U.S. Army (@USArmy) August 12, 2025
But over at left-wing site Public Notice, they have a post up titled «Trump’s brownshirts deploy in DC.»
In theory, the legislative branch should act as a check on a lawless president. But given that the GOP majorities in both the House and Senate have willfully abdicated their responsibility to do so, there’s no reason to think lawmakers won’t let Trump’s brownshirts occupy DC as long as he wants.
There are no real impediments to the president calling up the DC National Guard. Unlike state National Guards, which are under the control of state governors, DC’s Guard is commanded by the president. Further, the position of the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel is that the DC National Guard can be used for federal work without being federalized, unlike state National Guards. This means it can be used for law enforcement purposes without running afoul of the Posse Comitatus Act, which otherwise prohibits the use of federal troops for civilian enforcement efforts.
