Three Republican-led states — West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio — are sending hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, DC, providing impetus to President Donald Trump’s federal law enforcement efforts in the capital.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced that 300 to 400 Guard members are being deployed to DC. “At the request of the Trump administration, I have directed the @WVNationalGuard to support the President’s initiative to make DC safe and beautiful,” Morrisey posted on X.
Meanwhile, South Carolina and Ohio are sending 200 and 150 troops respectively, with all deployments federally funded, CNN reported.
Describing the role of West Virginia troops, a White House official told the US media network that they will “protect federal assets, create a safe environment for law enforcement officials to carry out their duties when required, and provide a visible presence to deter crime.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said the military police will “carry out presence patrols and serve as added security,” while South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster assured his troops could be called back home quickly if a need arises due to state emergencies, as reported by CNN.
Local Opposition and Protests
Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has criticised the federal police takeover, writing in a post on X that “American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican.”
Calling the deployment “startling”, DC Councilmember Robert White accused Trump of “breaching democratic norms” and warned of similar moves planned for other cities.
Meanwhile, protesters gathered near the White House over the weekend to confront National Guard members. Chanting ‘Trump must go now,’ they surrounded military vehicles, per CNN. While police used bicycles to create barricades as tensions rose, no violence was reported.
Army veteran Alan Dent from Maryland described the deployment as a “power grab” and reportedly said, “You should not deploy the National Guard on this soil for the purpose of intimidating a populace.”
Trump’s Crime Crackdown in DC
The troop deployment follows Trump’s announcement to federalise DC police force and send over 800 National Guard members to combat what he claims is widespread crime. The White House has focussed efforts on “beautifying the city,” including removing homeless encampments, which drew sharp criticism from advocates who say this approach disrupts efforts to support homeless people.
According to a Secret Service memo cited by CNN, over 700 federal law enforcement personnel from multiple agencies currently support the effort on a daily basis, with numbers expected to rise as more Guard troops arrive.
Legal and Political Pushback
On Friday, the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit to block the federal takeover after Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered the city to accept an “emergency police commissioner” from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to control the police department. Following a court hearing, Bondi reversed the order and returned control to DC police chief Pamela Smith.
Mayor Bowser has voiced concerns about the federal surge, calling the police takeover an “authoritarian push” and emphasising the need for federal support to be genuinely helpful to the city.
