Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration’s push to seize control of policing in the nation’s capital widened Saturday as three Republican-led states pledged to send National Guard troops to bolster the federal presence in Washington.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced that 300 to 400 Guard members would be dispatched, while South Carolina pledged 200 and Ohio 150. The deployments come just days after President Trump federalized the D.C. police force and activated 800 local Guard troops, citing what he called a crisis of crime and homelessness.
The announcement triggered new protests in the city, where demonstrators marched from Dupont Circle to the White House under banners reading “No fascist takeover of D.C.” and “No military occupation.”
“Commitment to public safety” — or a political show of force?
Morrisey’s office described the deployment as “a show of commitment to public safety and regional cooperation.” But critics saw a different motive: Trump flexing federal muscle in a heavily Democratic city while ignoring the fact that violent crime has been dropping steadily.
According to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, violent crime has declined 26% since January, reaching its lowest level in three decades.
“The president is using crime as a pretext to impose his will on Washington,” said Brian Schwalb, the city’s attorney general, who has challenged Trump’s moves in federal court.
Federal takeover hits resistance
The D.C. takeover has been contentious from the start. Last week, the Justice Department ordered the replacement of Police Chief Pamela Smith with DEA head Terry Cole, naming him “emergency police commissioner.” But U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes indicated Smith must remain in charge while legal challenges continue.
Despite the setback, Trump pressed forward Saturday with orders for reinforcements from allied states.
A White House official defended the move, saying additional Guard troops were needed “to 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.”
Protesters push back
On the streets, residents and activists voiced their outrage. A veterans’ group, the Chamberlain Network, condemned the deployments, arguing that Guard troops should be preparing for floods, fires, and natural disasters — not policing political disputes.
“From floods to winter storms, we count on our Guard in a crisis,” the group posted on X. “They should be home, ready to respond — not on a political policing mission.”
In Dupont Circle, protesters held loaves of bread in reference to a viral incident earlier in the week in which a man was arrested for throwing a sandwich at a federal agent. Others mocked what they called Trump’s “beautification orders,” which have reportedly assigned some Guard members to sweep sidewalks and remove homeless encampments.
Homeless residents targeted
The crackdown has been particularly controversial for its treatment of unhoused Washingtonians. After Trump’s motorcade passed several encampments near his golf course last week, he ordered residents to clear out or face forcible removal. Local officials scrambled to relocate camps “in a more humane fashion” before federal forces could act.
Advocates for the homeless called the moves cruel and unnecessary, pointing again to low crime statistics. “This isn’t about safety,” said one organizer. “It’s about optics and control.”
Weapons policy in flux
For now, Guard troops patrolling D.C. are unarmed, though the Army confirmed that weapons remain available “if needed.” Defense officials expect a formal order authorizing some Guard members — especially military police — to carry sidearms in coming days.
Troops are already on foot and vehicle patrols around Union Station and the National Mall, though officials insist they are not conducting arrests at this stage.
Beyond D.C.
Trump has signaled he may take similar actions in other Democratic-controlled cities. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has challenged the president’s deployment of Guard troops to Los Angeles without state approval. A federal judge in San Francisco is expected to rule soon on whether the move was illegal.
Typically, National Guard mobilizations occur only at a governor’s request. But in D.C., the Guard reports directly to the president — a loophole Trump has aggressively exploited.
A capital transformed
For Washington residents, the sight of camouflaged soldiers at Metro stations and federal landmarks has been unsettling. “We didn’t vote for this,” one protester said. “It feels like an occupation.”
As more troops roll into the city, the political battle over Trump’s takeover of D.C. shows no sign of cooling. What began as a dispute over policing has become a larger question of democracy itself — who controls the capital, and at what cost to the people who live there.
