Three Republican-led states announced deployments of National Guard troops to Washington D.C. at the Trump administration’s request, significantly expanding federal intervention efforts in the district. This escalation follows President Trump’s executive order federalizing local police and activating D.C. Guard units last week.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey committed 300-400 troops, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster pledged 200, and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will send 150 military police personnel in the coming days. The deployments come at the direct request of Pentagon and Army officials, with governors framing the move as regional cooperation to support federal efforts to address crime and homelessness in the nation’s capital.
The troop surge represents a major expansion of the “Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” which initially deployed approximately 800 D.C. National Guard members. While currently assigned to patrol landmarks like the National Mall and Union Station while assisting with crowd control, the administration hasn’t clarified why additional out-of-state forces are required beyond existing federal law enforcement personnel. Critics note that violent crime rates are lower than during Trump’s first term.
Local officials and residents expressed strong opposition to the growing federal presence. Mayor Muriel Bowser characterized the intervention as an unprecedented test of D.C.’s limited self-governance, while protesters gathered behind banners reading “No fascist takeover of D.C.” and “No military occupation.” Organizers hope to generate national backlash against what they view as federal overreach using crime as pretext.
The administration faces legal challenges to its intervention. After D.C.’s top lawyer sued, officials reversed an order that would have placed a DEA official as emergency police commissioner. Attorney General Pam Bondi subsequently issued a memo directing local police to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement regardless of city laws, which local officials are still evaluating.
Looking ahead, the additional state Guard units will begin arriving immediately, joining existing federal personnel now visible in multiple neighborhoods. The administration has suggested this D.C. intervention could become a template for actions in other cities Trump has criticized, including New York, Baltimore and Oakland. South Carolina’s governor noted troops could be recalled if state emergencies arise.
Public reaction remains divided, with some residents expressing alarm at “unmarked officers” patrolling streets while others support the crackdown. Teacher Jamie Dickstein voiced concern for student safety, while cyclist John Finnigan called the deployment “ridiculous” given declining crime statistics. The situation continues evolving as legal challenges progress and additional troops arrive.