National Guard to be deployed in Washington, DC, says official
US president Donald Trump pledged on Sunday to evict homeless people from the nation’s capital and jail criminals, despite Washington’s mayor arguing there is no current spike in crime.
While details of the plan were unclear, the administration is preparing to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, a US official told Reuters, a controversial tactic Trump used recently in Los Angeles to tackle immigration protests over the objections of local officials.
Trump has not made a final decision, the official said, adding that the number of troops and their role are still being determined.
Unlike in California and every other state, where the governor typically decides when to activate Guard troops, the president directly controls the National Guard in Washington, DC.
Past instances of the Guard’s deployment in the city include in response to the January 6th, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters.
“The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong.”
The White House declined to explain what legal authority Trump would use to evict people from Washington. The Republican president controls only federal land and buildings in the city.
Trump plans to hold a press conference on Monday to “stop violent crime in Washington, D.C.”. It was not clear whether he would announce more details of his eviction plan then.
