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1h ago

Pentagon Authorizes Arming of Nearly 2,000 National Guard Troops in D.C. Crime Operation

Implementation remains uncertain after the D.C. task force said the arming posture has not changed.

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President Donald Trump speaks as Vice President JD Vance listens in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington.
ARMED national guard in washington dc AP Photo

Overview

  • A defense official said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed an order for Guard members supporting the mission to carry service-issued weapons as required.
  • Guard troops continue in a support role under Joint Task Force–DC and are not permitted to make arrests, with the interim commander retaining authority over force posture adjustments.
  • Attorney General Pam Bondi reported 719 total arrests as of Friday, including 36 immigration detentions on Thursday and the capture of a suspected MS-13 member, along with additional illegal firearms seized.
  • President Trump warned Mayor Muriel Bowser to correct allegedly inaccurate crime figures or face a complete federal takeover as the Justice Department investigates possible manipulation of D.C. crime data, and any extension of control would require congressional approval.
  • Public resistance has grown with protests in the city and a Washington Post poll showing 79% of residents oppose the federal takeover, as operation updates included Guard members alerting police to a knife threat at a Metro station and a separate Guard vehicle crash that injured a civilian driver.