a day ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
National Guard Soldiers Prepare to Carry Weapons in Washington, D.C.
National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C. are preparing to carry weapons in the coming days, according to people familiar with the change, a shift that comes days after President Trump said he was sending them to 'take back' the capital from what he described as violent criminals.
Defense officials had previously said the 800 National Guard soldiers deployed to the city wouldn't be armed, unlike many federal law enforcement agents sent to the capital. They also weren't to have weapons in their vehicles. 'Weapons are available if needed but will remain in the armory,' the U.S. Army said in a press release Thursday.
