National Guard troops from six red states head to DC to help tackle crime
Now, National Guard troops from Ohio, West Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee are joining in on the Trump administration's crackdown in Washington. Altogether, more than 2,000 National Guard troops are currently slated to participate in the Trump administration's effort to address crime in the nation's capital, and roughly 1,300 already have arrived in Washington.
As of Tuesday, approximately 500 West Virginia National Guard soldiers are in Washington where they are being briefed on their mission, a U.S. Army official told Fox News. Once training concludes, they are slated to join the D.C. National Guard in "supporting the mission as it currently exists," the official said.
On Monday, governors from Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana announced they would also dispatch National Guard troops from their respective states. Mississippi pledged 200 troops, Tennessee said it would send 160 troops, and Louisiana said it would deploy 135 troops.
Additionally, South Carolina said it would dispatch 200 troops, and Ohio said it plans to deploy 150 to support Trump's mission.
The states said that they were responding to requests from the Department of the Army to assist the D.C. National Guard.
"We have been asked by the Secretary of the Army to send 150 military police from the Ohio National Guard to support the District of Columbia National Guard," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said in a Saturday statement. "These Ohio National Guard members will carry out presence patrols and serve as added security. None of these military police members are currently serving as law enforcement officers in the state of Ohio."
The White House said that the National Guard troops will protect federal assets and provide a "safe environment" for law enforcement officials, and will "provide a visible presence to deter crime."
"President Trump appreciates and welcomes additional assistance from local and state officials that want to join the operation to protect our cherished capital from dangerous criminals," a White House official said in a statement to Fox News Digital Tuesday. "As part of President Trump's ongoing effort to make DC safe and beautiful, additional National Guard troops may be called in to Washington DC — the National Guard's role has not changed."
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital on why National Guard troops from other states are joining the D.C. National Guard.
Trump initially floated federalizing Washington's Metropolitan Police Department and sending National Guard troops to confront crime in Washington Aug. 6, following the assault of a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer.
Days later, he announced that he would activate approximately 800 National Guard troops, and would take over the Metropolitan Police Department to address crime in Washington.
"I'm deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order and public safety in Washington, D.C.," Trump told reporters at an Aug. 11 press conference. "And they're going to be allowed to do their job properly."
While a temporary federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is authorized for emergency situations, Washington officials filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's move Friday.
"By illegally declaring a takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its temporary, limited authority under the law," Washington Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote in a Friday X post. "This is the gravest threat to Home Rule DC has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it."
Meanwhile, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser suggested that the Trump administration wasn't interested in deploying troops to fight crime in the city, but rather, advance the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda.
"I think it makes the point that this is not about D.C. crime," Bowser said Sunday. "The focus should be on violent crime. ... Nobody is against focusing on driving down any level of violence. And so if this is really about immigration enforcement, the administration should make that plain."
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