News

National Guard Presence in Washington DC Extended to February

National Guard troops in Washington DC will stay until February, costing $1 million daily amid legal disputes and concerns over federal policing.

By Ashley Thompson3 min readOct 30, 202510 views
Share

crypto In a significant development regarding the US military's involvement in civilian affairs, reports indicate that National Guard troops stationed in the nation’s capital will continue their deployment at least until February. Initially set to conclude at the end of November, this order has been prolonged under the direction of Pete Hegseth, the leader of the US Department of Defense.

As of Wednesday, approximately 2,400 National Guard troops are present in Washington DC, as reported by CNN. The ongoing presence of these troops carries a hefty financial burden, costing around $1 million daily.

National Guard Presence in Washington DC Extended to February This extension follows a recent lawsuit filed by Washington DC officials against the Trump administration regarding these deployments. Brian Schwalb, the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, characterized the situation as an “involuntary military occupation” and criticized it as an unlawful use of military force for domestic law enforcement purposes.

A federal judge in California previously ruled in September that President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles, following protests regarding immigration raids in June, was illegal. However, this ruling does not impact the situation in Washington DC, where the president has more authority over the National Guard compared to state governors.

The extension of the National Guard's deployment marks another chapter in Donald Trump’s strategy of employing federal law enforcement to ostensibly combat crime. Following the troop deployment to Washington DC, the administration also dispatched forces to Chicago and has considered sending additional troops to other Democratic-led cities, including San Francisco, Portland, and New York. These actions represent a notable escalation in the federal government’s rare involvement in local policing, prompting significant backlash from Democratic officials and community activists.

https://coinzn.org/ Earlier this month, a high-ranking US military official issued a directive for the National Guards across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories to establish “quick reaction forces” trained specifically in “riot control.” This internal Pentagon memo, signed on October 8 by Major General Ronald Burkett, the Director of Operations for the Pentagon's National Guard Bureau, outlines the goals for these forces. Each state is required to train at least 500 National Guard members, contributing to a potential total of 23,500 troops nationwide.

The ongoing deployment of National Guard troops in Washington DC until February highlights the complex interplay between military presence and civil governance in the United States. As debates over the legality and appropriateness of such actions continue, the implications for both local communities and the broader landscape of US law enforcement remain to be seen. This situation underscores the critical balance between national security interests and the rights of citizens within their own cities.

Tags:

#US military#US news#Washington DC#World news

Related Posts