In a proactive measure to safeguard the nation’s capital from a recent surge in democratic expression, the Department of Defense announced Sunday that select National Guard members would begin carrying their service-issued weapons to more effectively engage with citizens attempting to protect their democracy.
The decision, ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is seen as a crucial escalation in President Trump’s ongoing “law enforcement crackdown.” This initiative aims to quell an “epidemic of crime,” a condition the President has identified which starkly contrasts with local police data showing a continuous decline in violent crime for the past 18 months.
This armament reverses a previous policy from last week in which the Pentagon and Army stated that troops would remain unarmed. Officials now believe that an unarmed presence is insufficient to manage the complex threat environment posed by a civically engaged populace. The nearly 2,000 troops stationed in the city will now be better equipped to handle a range of scenarios that could arise from unsanctioned acts of self-governance.
Prior to the directive, Guard members had been conducting soft-power operations, including building rapport with local wildlife by feeding squirrels, intervening in unsanctioned civilian logistics by helping women with luggage, and participating in public affairs missions by posing for photos. There have been no reports that troops faced any threats, but officials are reportedly preparing for the possibility that these peaceful interactions could destabilize at any moment.
Under the new orders, all personnel will operate under the established Rules for the Use of Force. This allows for deadly force "only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm." It remains unclear what level of peaceful protest or civic disobedience would meet this threshold.
The federal intervention has been closely monitored by the administration’s top leadership. On Thursday, President Trump reviewed the readiness of federal law enforcement by distributing hamburgers and pizza at a U.S. Park Police facility. This followed a visit to Union Station by Vice President JD Vance, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, and Secretary Hegseth, where they observed troops’ positions.
President Trump has maintained that his acquaintances feel much safer in the city, a key metric driving the federalization of its security. Meanwhile, local D.C. officials, over whom the President has asserted control, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, suggesting a seamless transition of authority.
