President Trump federalized Washington, D.C.'s police and activated hundreds of National Guard troops to patrol the capital, with more expected to arrive. The National Guard operates under both state and federal authority, and the president can activate a state's Guard without the governor; D.C.'s Guard answers directly to the president because the district lacks statehood. National Guard forces are routinely deployed for catastrophic weather, riots, and pandemic-related support. During 2020 racial justice protests, more than 5,000 troops patrolled D.C. at the president's order. Declaring a blanket federalized response to crime in D.C., despite a significant drop in the city's crime rate, departs from the Guard's intended mission. Early American leaders were wary of domestic military deployment due to events like the Boston Massacre and quartering of troops in private homes.
President Trump's decision to assert federal control over Washington, D.C.'s police force and deploy National Guard troops to patrol the capital marked a stunning departure from governing norms, according to experts. Since Trump's order last week, hundreds of National Guard troops have set up on the streets of the nation's capital and hundreds more are expected to arrive in the coming days.
National Guard troops are a familiar presence during times of crisis they are often deployed to assist in catastrophic weather events, riots, and even were used during the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. During the 2020 racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd, dozens of states called on their National Guards to assist local law enforcement, including in D.C., where at Trump's orders, more than 5,000 troops patrolled the city to monitor the largely peaceful protests.
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