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Trump, Donald

National Guard Units in Washington D.C. Begin Carrying Firearms Amid Trump's Military Deployment

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Washington D.C. and surrounding areas have been gripped by an unprecedented military presence as President Donald Trump continues to deploy National Guard and federal law enforcement officers to combat crime and homelessness. Some units have been armed with handguns and rifles, despite concerns from local residents and politicians. This escalation comes as Trump considers expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, and New York.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Defense Department has allowed some National Guard units on certain missions to carry firearms, including handguns and rifles.
  • The units have been trained and are operating under strict rules for the use of force, which requires force to be used only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.
  • The military deployment in Washington D.C. has been met with sporadic protests from local residents, while some normally bustling corners of the city have been noticeably quiet.
  • President Trump has threatened to expand the military deployment to other Democratic-led cities, including Chicago and New York, after Maryland's Governor Wes Moore offered to join him on a tour of Baltimore.
  • Baltimore's Mayor Brandon Scott is Black, as is Maryland's Governor Wes Moore, and officials from these cities have expressed concerns about the military deployment being a result of Trump's "blissful ignorance" about improving crime rates.
  • Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has stated that there is no emergency warranting the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago, and the city's Mayor Brandon Johnson has vowed to sue to block a potential military occupation.
  • The Pentagon has spent weeks preparing for an operation in Chicago that could include National Guard troops and potentially active-duty forces.

Statistics:

  • 2,000 National Guard and federal law enforcement officers are patrolling Washington D.C.'s streets.
  • The number of violent crimes reported in Baltimore fell by 24% from the prior year and 42% since 2021.
  • Overall violent crime was down nearly 8% and property crimes down 20% between 2023 and 2024 in Baltimore.
  • 200 homicides were reported in Baltimore last year.

Sources:

  • A Defense Department official speaking to The Associated Press.
  • A joint task force statement to the Associated Press.
  • Governor Wes Moore's statement to CBS's "Face the Nation."
  • Governor Wes Moore's fundraising email.
  • Mayor Brandon Scott's statement on Baltimore crime rates.
  • The Washington Post's report on Pentagon preparations for an operation in Chicago.
  • White House comments on Trump's intentions to deploy troops to Chicago and New York.
  • President Donald Trump's Truth Social post.
  • Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's statement on X.
  • Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's statement on MSNBC.

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