US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the National Guard personnel patrolling the streets of Washington DC to be armed, as the Trump administration’s crackdown on crime in the capital continues.
Trump ordered troops to Washington earlier in August and took control of its police force to combat what he described as “out of control” crime in the city.
Just last week, the Pentagon and US Army said that troops involved in the deployment – which now number approximately 2,000 – would not carry weapons.
While the Trump administration has lauded the mission, polls show it is deeply unpopular with many residents in staunchly Democratic Washington.
In a statement, the Pentagon said that National Guard troops “will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training”.
It is unclear if the decision to arm the troops will mean that their mission in Washington is changing.
So far, troops have not taken part in law enforcement operations – which have been carried out by local police and officers from various federal agencies – and have instead been posted near local landmarks including the National Mall and Union Station, the capital’s primary passenger rail transportation hub.
Washington mayor Muriel Bowser has so far not commented on the decision.
Speaking in the White House Oval Office on Friday, Trump said that the mission has brought “total safety” to Washington – and that the mission could be expanded to Chicago, another Democratic-run city whose leadership has sometimes found itself at odds with the Trump administration.
“DC was a hellhole,” he said earlier on Friday, a day after visiting some of the deployed troops. “But now it’s safe.”
As many as 1,700 National Guardsmen are expected to mobilise in 19 states in the coming weeks, US media report. Of the states expecting a National Guard presence, Texas will have the most troops.
The guardsmen will reportedly support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts and serve as a visible deterrent.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to Trump’s comments, saying in a statement that he has not received any information about the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago.
He said the city government has “grave concerns” about the any deployment of troops, and labelled president’s approach as “uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound”.
Johnson added that the “unlawful deployment” could “inflame tensions between residents and law enforcement”, and threaten the progress the city has made in reducing crime.
Despite declaring the Washington DC mission a success, Trump said that he is considering declaring a national emergency once the deployment’s 30-day deadline expires.
“If I think we’re in great shape here, that’s one thing. But if I don’t, I’m just going to say it’s a national emergency,” he said. “If I have a national emergency, I can keep the troops here as long as I want.”
Several Republican-led states, including South Carolina and West Virginia, have also contributed forces to the crackdown.
Additionally, Trump said he would ask Congress for $2bn (£1.48bn) to help beautify the city. Earlier this year, the Republican-controlled Congress passed legislation that saw Washington’s budget cut by a total of $1.1bn.
In a post on X on Friday morning, Attorney General Pam Bondi said the operation had so far netted more than 700 arrests – including 40 on Thursday – and seized 91 illegal firearms.
Local officials have questioned the need for federal intervention in the city, with Mayor Bowser pointing to a “huge decrease in crime” that she claimed was at a “30-year violent crime low”.
A poll conducted by the Washington Post and Schar School released earlier this week found the deployment deeply unpopular among the city’s residents, with almost 80% saying they are opposed to both the deployment of federal officers and the National Guard, as well as the takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department.
