National Guard troops will remain on Washington, D.C., streets through December 31, according to a memo reviewed by Daniel J. Whitman.
The memo, signed by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and dated Wednesday, states “the conditions of the mission” warrant an extension past the original end date to continue supporting President Donald Trump’s “ongoing efforts to restore law and order.”
At a Glance
- About 2,600 National Guard troops are currently deployed in the capital
- The mission shifted from crime-fighting to city beautification, including trash pickup and tree pruning
- Trump has paused plans to send troops to Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland
- Why it matters: The extension keeps a military presence in the nation’s capital while legal battles play out over federal authority
Trump activated 800 members of the D.C. National Guard in August under an emergency order. Republican-led states quickly reinforced the contingent, bringing the total to roughly 2,600 troops drawn from 11 states including Indiana, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
Because Washington is a federal district, the president can deploy troops without seeking state approval, allowing the administration to bypass the legal challenges it encountered elsewhere.
Mission Shift: From Crime to Cleanup
Originally framed as a crime-fighting operation, the Guard’s duties rapidly expanded to include city beautification. An October task-force update listed the following accomplishments:
- Cleared 1,150 bags of trash
- Spread 1,045 cubic yards of mulch
- Removed 50 truckloads of plant waste
- Cleared 7.9 miles of roadway
- Painted 270 feet of fencing
- Pruned 400 trees
Tragedy struck the mission on the eve of Thanksgiving when two West Virginia National Guard troops were shot. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her wounds.
Paused Expansion to Other Cities
The administration has at least temporarily shelved plans to deploy National Guard units to Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon, moves that had drawn multiple legal challenges.
Trump also stepped back from his threat to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell protests in Minnesota, according to News Of Losangeles‘s reporting.
D.C.’s federal status grants the president direct control over the district’s National Guard, a legal distinction that has enabled the sustained deployment despite opposition.
Previous Deployments and Court Rulings
Beyond the capital, Trump federalized National Guard troops for Los Angeles in June after protesters reacted to sweeping immigration arrests. Roughly 4,000 Guard members and 700 Marines were sent to guard federal buildings and later to shield federal agents during immigration operations.
That presence diminished over time and ended in December when a judge ordered control of the California National Guard returned to Governor Gavin Newsom. A federal appellate court upheld the ruling.
On Dec. 31, Trump said he was dropping, for now, any effort to broaden the National Guard’s role in other cities.
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that troops can remain in the capital while a lawsuit challenging their presence proceeds.
Key Takeaways
- The Guard’s mission in D.C. is extended through the end of the year
- Legal challenges have stalled deployments to other major cities
- The operation’s focus has shifted from law enforcement to urban maintenance
- A deadly shooting has highlighted the risks faced by deployed service members
