Tourists go through members of the National Guard who were stationed outside the Union Station in Washington, on August 18, 2025 (photo of Jane Norman/States Newsroom)
Washington – Defense Secretary of Pete HegeSth allowed thousands of national guard soldiers located in the Colombia district to wear weapons while patrolling the city, said Pentagon on Friday.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said that he was considering announcing the “national crisis situation” in order to keep soldiers in the capital of the country for more than 30 days allowed in accordance with the law, and also said that he was observing cities led by the democratic cities of Chicago, New York and San Francisco for additional military arrangement.
Wear weapons would be a significant escalation in the strength show for soldiers in the district.
“In the direction of the Secretary of Defense (Watchtower), members supporting the mission of reducing the crime rate in the capital of our country will soon be on a mission with a weapon issued by services, in accordance with their mission and training,” said the official of the Defense Department in a statement for the States.
The final decision will be made by BRIG. Gen. Leland Blanchard II, who is the fleeting commander of the DC National Guard, and each coordination will take place with the DC metropolitan police and federal law enforcement agencies, said the official of the Defense Department.
There are now 800 members of the National Guard in the district, which was joined by over 1260 members from six GOP states He called the federal assistance of Trump’s 62 square miles of the district, in which 700,000 inhabitants live.
Members of the National Guard from the Republican states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia began to come to the district this week.
It is unclear whether 2,060 members of the National Guard will wear a “weapon released by services” during service.
The change will take place a few days before the students’ return to school in the district.
The Pentagon did not answer the question of the Newsroom states about this type of weapon that members of the National Guard would wear, such as rifles or hand pistols.
Usually a standard weapon for most American troops is the M4 assault rifle, which is the AR-15 variant.
More cities for military strength
The president told journalists on Friday at the Oval Office that Chicago, New York and San Francisco could be next to the military arrangement, just like Federal takeover of the district.
“After that, we will go to another place and we will also provide safety,” said Trump. “Chicago is a mess … and we will probably straighten it. It will be our next after that.”
Because the district is not a state, the president has the only authority over members of the National Guard.
Governors are controlled by members of the National Guard, but the president of the Federal National Guard of California this summer reacted to immigration protests-testing to the utilize of state military forces. Since then, the guard left Los Angeles.
Trump announced the “crisis” in the district on August 11, despite the fact that the brutal crime in the district is 30 years ancient.
The president also referred to the Act on the district rule to utilize police forces in the Metropolitan Department to enforce immigration law.
The branches of the National Guard were sent to patrol metro stations, national shopping center and federal buildings throughout the district.
“DC National Guard remains obliged to protect the district of Colombia and serve to living, working and visiting the district,” said the defense department official.
The potential declaration of Trump’s National National
It is not clear how long the National Guard will remain in the district, and the president said on Friday that he was considering the announcement of a “national failure” in order to keep soldiers in the capital of the country.
According to the joint task district of Colombia, soldiers are currently in local hotels throughout the district.
“If I have a national accident, I can keep soldiers as long as I want,” Trump told reporters in an oval office.
Earlier on Friday, Trump said it wasn’t sure how long he would stop the members of the National Guard in the district.
“The most important question is: how long will we stop? Because we want to make sure that it will not come back,” said Trump in the next and a return to reporters. “So we must take care of these criminals and pull them out.”
On Thursday, Trump visited the American police facility in the district district known as Anacostia, where he turned to local and federal law enforcement officers, as well as members of the National Guard.
“You are amazing people,” said Trump. “You make the country work.”
He thanked them for their service and told them to hand out Hamburgers, which, he said, were cooked in a white house and a pizza from a local restaurant.
Wes Muller, Illuminator Louisiana, contributed to this story.
