Trump sent the National Guard to Washington, DC, as Trump’s plan to start cracking down on crime in the city starts taking shape.
Dozens of members of the military arrived in five military vehicles near the Washington Monument when the sun set. An Army official stated that they were supposed to deploy around the D.C. Armory and were expected to deploy near the National Monuments, as well as a U.S. Park Police facility in the Anacostia neighborhood of Southwest Washington.
President Trump described the nation’s capital in apocalyptic terms as a crime-infested wasteland. A report states that crime rates in Washington have been increasing over the last two years, but it remains unclear if the President will order the use of force. The initial deployment to the Washington Monument became less fearsome, with troops snapping pictures of themselves with visitors. 800 National Guard troops are expected to be deployed, along with Federal Law Enforcement.
There have been warnings that if anyone assaults an officer, they will be prosecuted. Metropoline Police Department Chief said, “We know that we have to get illegal guns off our streets, and if we have an influx of enhanced presence, we know that it will make our city even better.”
Some of the National Guard units started carrying firearms, a recent escalation of the president’s national deployment. Some units were authorized to carry firearms on specific missions in Washington; these units were trained with firearms and were subject to strict guidelines for the use of force.
An Associated Press photographer on Sunday saw members of the South Carolina National Guard outside Union Station with holstered handguns. In the span of a week, Trump rapidly ratcheted up moves, going over the heads of D.C. leaders. He has invoked his authority in overseeing federal law enforcement.
