President Donald Trump announced that he intends to join troops on patrol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday night, framing the move as part of his effort to tackle what he described as a “crime emergency” in the nation’s capital.
Last week, Trump ordered hundreds of National Guard personnel into Washington, pledging to “take our capital back,” despite opposition from some residents and crime data showing that violent incidents have actually declined.
“I’m going to be going out tonight I think with the police and with the military of course… We’re going to be doing a job,” Trump told conservative host Todd Starnes on Newsmax.
His remarks followed a rocky appearance by Vice President JD Vance, who a day earlier was greeted with chants of “Free DC” and loud boos while addressing deployed troops in the city.
According to military officials, about 800 DC National Guard members are on the ground, reinforced by roughly 1,200 troops from Republican-led states including Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. They have been stationed in highly visible areas such as the National Mall, Nationals Park, and near major monuments.
In addition to the troop presence, Trump has attempted to assert tighter control over the city’s police force, even moving to sideline some of its leadership. While certain residents have expressed support, pointing to crime in their neighborhoods, others argue the heavy deployment is excessive and fails to address violence in the city’s most affected areas.
Vance, along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, visited troops at Union Station on Wednesday. Outside the building, the vice president faced jeers, profanity-laced chants, and repeated calls of “Free DC! Free DC!” He dismissed the demonstrators as “a bunch of crazy protesters.”
Meanwhile, unusual incidents linked to the increased security presence have gone viral online. One clip showed a man arrested after hurling a sandwich at a security agent. The act has since been immortalized with graffiti-style posters across the city celebrating the so-called “sandwich guy.”
The DC National Guard, on its official X account, said its forces were providing “critical support such as crowd management, presence patrols, and perimeter control in support of law enforcement.”
Republican critics often portray Washington, a Democrat-dominated city, as overwhelmed by crime, homelessness, and fiscal mismanagement. However, local police data indicate that violent crime in the capital dropped notably between 2023 and 2024, following a sharp spike during the post-pandemic years.
The troop deployment in Washington follows similar actions by Trump in Los Angeles, where National Guard and Marines were used to suppress unrest triggered by controversial immigration raids.
