Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard troops to start carrying firearms while patrolling the streets of Washington for President Donald Trump’s law enforcement crackdown.

There are nearly 2,000 National Guard members in the District. They’ve been deployed to areas including the National Mall, Nationals Park and Metro stations.

Defense Secretary Hegseth has signed an order allowing Guard troops in D.C. to be armed. The authority is expected to be acted upon in coming days.

Mayor Brandon Johnson calls President Trump threat to send National Guard troops to Chicago illegal, “uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound,” while Gov. JB Pritzker says it would be

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized National Guard troops and airmen to carry weapons in D.C. if their mission requires it amid a Trump administration crackdown on crime.

Even as soldiers with the West Virginia National Guard begin arriving in Washington, D.C., to meet President Donald Trump’s call to help quell crime in the nation’s capital, a lawsuit could undo that deployment.

In President Trump’s second term, many of his most high-profile initiatives have doubled as opportunities to test the loyalty of Republican leaders.

Vice President JD Vance says National Guard troops are making substantial progress tackling crime in Washington, D.C., and suggests their mission may extend beyond 30 days.

Trump has already deployed 800 National Guard troops in Washington DC, declaring a public safety emergency. He is setting his sights now on Chicago.