The National Guard troops requested active service by President Donald Trump reached the steps of the Washington monument on Tuesday as part of their plan to address what insists on the crime “out of control” in the capital of the nation.
Colonel Dave Butler, an army spokesman, said the troops were summoned to help the Local Police with logistics support, transport and administration tasks, in addition to being visible throughout the National Shopping Center.
“That is part of our task: go to national monuments and be present,” he told ABC News.
Military vehicles with the Washington National Guard, DC, are parked near the Washington monument on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Trump administration has initiated a federal acquisition of the DC Police and mobilized the National Guard of DC, saying that the movements are necessary to restore the order in the city. The city officials say they did not know about the plans in advance.
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The deployment of troops on American soil is legal to some extent, and the president has the power to dispute the members of the service in times of extraordinary crisis. But their duties are also limited to protecting federal staff and federal property unless the president declares an insurrection, which he has not done.
It was not clear immediately why the presence of American troops throughout the National Shopping Center was needed, apart from exhibiting Trump’s orders. The area, marked by museums, monuments and long sections of grass, is known as a relatively safe part of the city that mainly attracts tourists and school groups.
The National Guard troops are deployed in the Washington monument as part of President Trump’s police mobilization on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC.
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The troops are expected to have access to weapons, but they do not take them, Butler said.
Members of the Washington National Guard Patrol, DC near the Washington monument on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Trump administration has initiated a federal acquisition of the DC Police and mobilized the National Guard of DC, saying that the movements are necessary to restore the order in the city. The city officials say they did not know about the plans in advance.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Trump has criticized what he calls unbridled crime on Monday, he called a press conference to announce that he would take over the Washington Police Department, DC, and activated DC National Guard troops.
The authorities said that 100 guard troops reported at the service on Tuesday with more anticipated throughout the week.
The National Guard troops are deployed in the Washington monument as part of President Trump’s police mobilization on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC.
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“Something is out of control,” Trump said Monday about DC Crime. “But we are going to put it into control very quickly, as we did on the southern border. I am announcing a historical action to rescue the capital of our nation from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and mass and worse. This is a day of release in DC, and we will recover our capital.”
Trump’s control over DC’s police force expires in 30 days, after which Congress would have to intervene.
Earlier on Tuesday, an army spokesman said that the Guardian troops had not received a mission even more than supporting the police. The expectation was that the service would need the rest of the week to account for the 800 troops and mobilize them before deploying them next week.
