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15h ago

National Guard Troops Deployed to Secure and Beautify Washington Monuments

Operating unarmed under presidential authority, the 800-member task force faces legal scrutiny from local officials and courts.

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Overview

  • Approximately 800 Army and Air National Guard members have formed Joint Task Force–DC to support the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force with monument security, crowd management, transit hub patrols and area beautification.
  • Guardsmen wear body armor and patrol in HMMWVs at locations including the National Mall and Union Station to deter crime and improve public spaces.
  • Troops are not carrying weapons in the field and remain barred from routine arrests, though they may temporarily detain individuals to prevent imminent harm and transfer custody to the Metropolitan Police Department.
  • Brig. Gen. Leland Blanchard leads the interim DC National Guard command and Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll has publicly inspected the operation, which will continue until the president declares law and order restored.
  • The federal deployment has prompted lawsuits, including Newsom v. Trump, and criticism from Mayor Muriel Bowser and civil-rights groups over its scope and the White House’s crime statistics.