President Donald Trump deployed 800 National Guard troops to the nation’s capital as part of a crime crackdown in the city.
National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., have been told they should prepare to carry weapons in the nation’s capital despite previous assurances from officials that the troops would not be armed, according to a Saturday report by The Wall Street Journal.
When reached for comment, the D.C. Army National Guard told Newsweek that «Guard members may be armed consistent with their mission and training.»
Newsweek reached out to the White House by email outside of normal business hours on Saturday afternoon for comment.
The Pentagon directed Newsweek to speak with the Washington Guard when reached by email for comment. Meanwhile, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office told Newsweek it had no comment at this time.Why It Matters
President Donald Trump ordered 800 National Guard troops to deploy to Washington, with the troops arriving on Tuesday. The deployment aims to combat crime in the city, even as crime rates have reached a 30-year low, marking one of the most aggressive federal interventions in local law enforcement in recent history.
The deployment has prompted strong backlash due to the fact the administration bypassed the city’s elected leaders, who have variously described Trump’s directive as «unsettling», «unprecedented» and «dangerous.»
Washington officials sued the administration to block the federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), which prompted U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to issue a memo that leaves the current police chief in charge of the department but also directs the police to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, the Associated Press reported.What To Know
Administration officials had previously said the National Guard would not carry weapons, and troops who have already made the rounds on patrol around the city have done so without carrying them.
The Journal, citing people familiar with the plan, reported on Saturday that those troops were told on Friday evening they should expect an order to carry weapons.
