Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard members patrolling the streets of Washington, DC, to start carrying their service weapons as they fulfill President Donald Trump’s crime crackdown in the nation’s capital, in accordance to a US protection official.
The directive from Hegseth represents a notable shift in steering from the Pentagon, which had beforehand indicated that National Guard members could possibly be armed if the circumstances warranted, and suggests tons of of guard troops deployed in DC will quickly be carrying weapons regardless of serving in a help function.
“At the direction of the Secretary of Defense, (Joint Task Force) JTF-DC members supporting the mission to lower the crime rate in our Nation’s capital will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training,” the official stated.
The D.C. National Guard stays dedicated to safeguarding the District of Columbia and serving those that stay, work, and go to the District,” the official added.
It comes as different states’ National Guard members have begun arriving in Washington, DC, to be in-processed to help the DC National Guard.
More than 1,900 troops from a number of states have been known as up as a part of the mission together with from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Louisiana, and Tennessee National Guards, in accordance to a launch from Joint Task Force – DC on Thursday.
The Trump administration has more and more touted the presence of National Guard members and extra federal legislation enforcement officers in latest days.