US EditionHegseth orders National Guard troops in DC to carry weapons
- On August 21, 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed that National Guard personnel stationed in Washington, D.C. for President Trump's law enforcement efforts be equipped with firearms.
- This directive reverses last week's Pentagon and Army assurances that the National Guard would remain unarmed and coincides with the expanded deployment of nearly 2,000 troops from several Republican-led states.
- The troops have primarily focused on safeguarding landmarks and managing crowds, while Trump applauded the improvements, calling the situation "a miracle," and pledged to seek $2 billion from Congress to enhance the city's infrastructure and appearance.
- Mayor Bowser reported violent crime at a 30-year low, though reports differ as some officials contest her figures, and National Guard authorization includes conditions on weapons use consistent with their mission and training.
- The deployment marks an escalation of federal intervention in D.C., bypassing local leaders and raising concerns over the duration and implications of armed National Guard presence in the heavily Democratic city.
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70 Articles
Hegseth authorizes troops in DC to carry weapons - Hawaii Tribune-Herald
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized National Guard troops deployed to Washington to bring their weapons with them on their mission. But it was not clear whether the troops would be armed as they walked through the city or simply store their weapons in their vehicles, which would not be a significant change over their current status.
Trump’s Test Case: Deploying the Military to Washington, DC - International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine
IN A LONG rant of over 70 minutes at an August 10 news conference, Trump claimed that the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., “has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs, and homeless people. And we are not going to take it anymore.” IVP607 - August 2025 / United States (USA), Racism and Islamophobia
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