WASHINGTON (BN24) — National Guard troops stationed in Washington, D.C., as part of President Donald Trump’s anti-crime initiative began carrying firearms Sunday evening, marking a significant escalation in the deployment’s posture, according to federal officials.
Most of the Guard members are now armed with their standard-issue M17 pistols, while a smaller contingent has been equipped with M4 rifles, a Defense Department official confirmed. The troops are authorized to use their weapons only for self-protection and, as the federal task force overseeing the mission emphasized, “as a last resort” in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.
The deployment, which includes more than 2,200 National Guard soldiers and airmen — a majority from outside the District — was ordered earlier this month by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to bolster Trump’s crime reduction push in the nation’s capital. Hegseth’s directive authorized roughly 2,000 troops to carry firearms, reversing an earlier policy that had left Guard members unarmed while assisting local law enforcement with safety patrols, traffic control, and public order.
On Sunday evening, armed National Guard troops wearing “MP” patches were seen patrolling D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood. Officials said Guard members involved in safety and security operations will be armed, while those assigned to “beautification” efforts, such as community restoration and public improvement projects, will likely remain unarmed.
The Army said all Guard members tasked with carrying firearms undergo regular training, refresher courses, and annual weapons qualifications. A White House official told NBC News that despite being armed, the troops are not currently making arrests but will continue to focus on protecting federal facilities and supporting law enforcement during arrests.
The task force is also reviewing a request by local police to increase National Guard presence at several metro stations as schools across the District reopen.
Trump has framed the expanded National Guard mission as a necessary measure to combat crime and homelessness in Washington, pointing to deployments from Republican-led states as proof of national support for his initiative. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey sent more than 400 troops, the largest single state contribution, which he described as a “show of commitment” to Trump’s plan. Troops have also been dispatched from South Carolina, Ohio, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee.
According to D.C. police data, violent crime had dropped about 27% compared with the previous year at the time Trump ordered the deployment. Still, critics, including Democratic leaders, accuse Trump of using the National Guard as a political tool, targeting cities led by Black officials and employing what they describe as intimidation tactics.
On Sunday, Trump escalated his rhetoric further by threatening to send troops into Baltimore following a dispute with Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Referring to Baltimore as “crime-ridden,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime,” using a derogatory nickname for California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The deployment of National Guard troops for routine crime control in major U.S. cities remains highly unusual. Historically, the force has been mobilized for natural disasters, riots, and periods of acute civil unrest, not for sustained law enforcement missions in the nation’s capital.
