National Guard in Washington D.C. Begins Carrying Weapons... Protests Erupt

Several media outlets, including The New York Times (NYT) and the Associated Press (AP), reported that some members of the National Guard deployed to Washington D.C. by President Donald Trump began carrying weapons starting on the evening of the 24th (local time).

The NYT reported that several National Guard members from South Carolina were seen with firearms holstered at their waists outside Union Station in Washington on that day.

On the 24th (local time), the National Guard patrolling Union Station in Washington D.C. Photo by AP

The task force responsible for public safety in Washington D.C. announced that, starting that day, National Guard units began carrying government-issued weapons while on duty, following the instructions of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The task force emphasized that soldiers would act in accordance with the rules regarding the use of force, stating that weapons should only be used as a last resort and solely in response to imminent threats of death or serious injury.

After President Trump announced on the 11th that law enforcement operations in Washington D.C. would be placed under federal government control to eradicate crime, approximately 2,000 National Guard members were reportedly deployed. However, the NYT pointed out that the mission of the National Guard remains unclear, with their focus appearing to be on petty crimes and the detention of undocumented immigrants.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced on the 22nd that the joint task force would soon be issued weapons to carry while performing their duties.

In relation to this, a spokesperson from the Department of Defense told AP that only those soldiers assigned to specific missions such as patrols would be armed, while personnel in traffic and administrative roles would likely remain unarmed. The spokesperson also stated that some units assigned to certain tasks would carry handguns, while others would be equipped with rifles.

Over the weekend, protests against the federal government took place in various parts of Washington D.C. The NYT reported that near Union Station, demonstrators were seen jeering at armed National Guard members on patrol.

Videos of arrests and detentions were posted on social networking services (SNS).

Reverend Al Sharpton, a Democratic human rights activist, criticized the National Guard's deployment in Washington D.C. during an event at Howard University, saying it was not because of crime but "to monitor us." He argued, "This measure is riddled with prejudice and racism," and pointed out, "Not a single white mayor was singled out."

President Trump stated that he would consider deploying the National Guard to other major cities such as Chicago and New York. Washington D.C., Chicago, and New York all have Black Democratic mayors.