Three Republican governors are sending hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., backing President Donald Trump’s controversial move to put the city’s police force under
federal control. The decision marks a sharp escalation in Trump’s effort to crack down on crime and homelessness in the capital, even as local leaders argue the city is safer than it was during his first term.
West Virginia plans to send between 300 and 400 troops, South Carolina is dispatching 200, and Ohio is contributing 150 military police. Together, they’ll join roughly 800 D.C. Guard members already activated, plus a large federal law enforcement presence that’s been patrolling landmarks, setting up checkpoints, and assisting with crowd control.
Trump has framed the takeover as an “emergency response,” saying the city government has failed to keep order. Critics — including D.C. officials and residents — call it an overreach, pointing out that violent crime has actually declined in recent years.
Pushback on the Ground
The sight of out-of-state troops arriving in the heavily Democratic city has sparked protests. On Saturday, demonstrators gathered in Dupont Circle before marching to the White House, chanting against what they see as a “military occupation.” Signs read “No fascist takeover of D.C.” and “No military occupation.”
Morgan Taylor, one of the organizers, said the goal was to build enough public pressure to force the administration to back off. “I can’t believe this is happening in this country,” she said, standing in the heat with fellow protesters.
Some locals who stumbled upon the march expressed frustration too. John Finnigan, a longtime D.C. resident, said the president’s actions “make no sense” given crime is down. Others, like 24-year-old teacher Jamie Dickstein, said they felt unsafe with “unmarked officers of all types” roaming the city and detaining people.
A Political Divide
The Republican governors backing Trump framed their troop deployments as acts of support. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said his state was “proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty” to Washington. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said his 200 troops could be recalled if a natural disaster struck at home. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine described his Guard members’ mission as simple “presence patrols.”
Meanwhile, Democratic mayors from other major cities have spoken out, worried Trump could try something similar in their communities.
Legal and Political Tensions
The takeover has already triggered legal fights. On Friday, the Trump administration backed down from a plan to install the head of the DEA as an “emergency police commissioner” after D.C.’s attorney general sued. But shortly afterward, Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered the Metropolitan Police Department to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, overriding city law.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has limited authority under the district’s unique governance structure, called Trump’s actions unprecedented. In a letter to residents, she urged Washingtonians to stand together:
“Our limited self-government has never faced the type of test we are facing right now,” Bowser wrote. “But if we remain united, we can show the entire nation what it looks like to fight for democracy — even when we don’t yet have full access to it.” Photo by Spc. Revé Van Croft, Wikimedia commons.
