TWENTY-THREE arrests were made in Washington DC on Monday night in the hours after Donald Trump announced he was bringing in the National Guard to “take back the capital” from crime.
Troops were seen arriving in DC on Tuesday morning as the president’s crackdown began, and the White House boasted hundreds more cops an agents patrolling the streets.
ReutersThe National Guard has begun arriving in DC[/caption]
AFPNational Guard troops were seen unloading their equipment[/caption]
The Mega AgencyThe arrival comes 24 hours after Trump announced the guard will take over the city’s safety[/caption]
“Last night, approximately 850 officers and agents were surged across the city,” White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press conference.
“They made a total of 23 arrests, including multiple other contacts. These arrests consisted of homicide, firearms, possession with intent to distribute, etc.
“For far too long, these laws have been completely ignored, and the homelessness problem has ravaged the city,” she continued.
“Homeless individuals will be given the option to leave their encampment, to be taken to a homeless shelter, to be offered addiction or mental health services — and if they refuse, they will be susceptible to fines or to jail time.”
National Guard members were seen heading into the District of Columbia National Guard Headquarters on Tuesday morning.
Several guards were photographed lugging their bags as they headed into the building.
The arrival of the National Guard caused small groups to lead protests against Trump’s orders.
The protesters held signs that read sayings such as: “Refuse Fascism,” and “No ICE! No National Guard!”
Yet despite the small number of protests, the White House touted the immediate success of the crackdown launch, confirming the National Guard troops will remain for at least a month.
“Within these 30 days, our entire focus is making sure that this is the most efficient operation possible and that we are removing as many criminals from the streets, and we are cleaning up D.C. as best as we can, and working with the Metropolitan Police Department to do that,” she noted.
The president confirmed this week that the DC police department will also now be under federal control.
“This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back,” Trump said during a press conference on Monday.
“I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse.”
Trump said that the capital had been “taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals” as well as “drugged out maniacs and homeless people”.
The president called upon Attorney General Pam Bondi to manage the National Guard’s takeover of the police department.
Trump Brings National Guard to DC
How Does Federalizing a City’s Police Force Work?
The president can take control if local order breaks down or with city approval.
In DC, federal law allows Congress and the president to oversee police under certain rules.
A federal official can be put in charge of the local police temporarily.
How Do Federal Police and the National Guard Work Together?
Federal agents (FBI, DEA, Secret Service) can assist or lead law enforcement efforts.
The National Guard can be called in by the president to support or restore order.
When federalized, the Guard works under federal command but usually does not handle regular policing.
All forces must coordinate closely to avoid overlap and work effectively.
Trump argued that DC has worse crime rates than notoriously crime-heavy cities such as Baghdad, Brasilia, San Jose, Colombia, Mexico City, and Lima, Peru.
During his press conference, the president presented a chart that showed each of those cities with lower murder rates than DC.
ABC News anchor Kyra Phillips shared her harrowing experience being mugged in DC, as she reported on Trump’s crackdown.
“So, I was jumped just two blocks here from the ABC bureau. It was not a minor, though,” she recalled.
The host said, “It’s happened to a lot of people in [the ABC] building, sadly.”
“It was scary as hell, I’m not going to lie, but I fought back. I didn’t see any weapons in his hands. I felt like it was my only choice,” the former CNN journalist mentioned.
However, data from the DC police show that violent crime in DC is down 26% compared with last year.
Overall crime in the Metropolitan area is down 7% so far, according to the police department.
“We can talk about the numbers going down, but crime is happening every single day because we’re all experiencing it firsthand, working and living down here,” Phillips added.
FACING SCRUTINY
The president also threatened to bring in the military to control crime, not just in DC but also in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
“We will bring in the military if it’s needed. By the way, we’re going to have National Guard, we will bring in the military if needed,” he said.
The Trump Administration is currently under scrutiny for deploying the National Guard and Marines in California earlier this year.
A federal judge is hearing arguments against the administration, which claims that the president violated federal law by deploying 4,000 Guard troops in June.
California is arguing that the president is targeting left-leaning states, leading Democratic governor Gavin Newsom to sue the administration, arguing the deployment was “for reasons not authorized by law and without input from or consent of the Governor, which contravenes core statutory and constitutional restrictions.”
On Monday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegeseth said they will follow all necessary steps to ensure the safety of the residents in DC.
“This city is beautiful, and as I always say about President Trump, to the troops, he has their back,” he said.
“And my message to the National Guard and federal law enforcement in Washington is we have your back as well.
“Be tough. Be strong. We’re right behind you.”
ReutersTrump will deploy more than 800 National Guard troops[/caption]
AFPThe National Guard has already made 23 successful arrests[/caption]
APThe White House said the guards will be there for at least the next 30 days[/caption]
NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYED
This isn’t the first time the National Guard has been deployed to DC.
The guard was called into the nation’s capital during President Biden’s inauguration in January 2021.
The inauguration followed the infamous Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, when violent protestors broke into the Capitol Building.
During Biden’s inauguration, over 25,000 National Guardmen were stationed across DC to ensure the safe transition of power, Fox affiliate WDCA reported.
Around 2,000 guardsmen remained in the capital until May to keep the peace of the city.
ReutersTrump has threatened sending the National Guard to other major cities[/caption]
APTrump said the guards will help correct the city[/caption]
APThe last time the National Guards were in DC was four years ago[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
