• National Guard troops in Washington D.C. begin carrying firearms in response to escalating crime measures.
• Trump threatens to expand military presence to other Democratic-led cities like Chicago and Baltimore.
• Opposition from local leaders emphasizes declining crime rates and concerns about militarization.
• Protests erupt in the capital as armed troops patrol the streets during the debate over public safety.

Beginning the evening of August 24, 2025, members of the U.S. National Guard in Washington, D.C., have started carrying firearms, marking a significant escalation in their deployment aimed at crime control under President Donald Trump’s directives. This decision follows a green light from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, allowing certain troops to be armed with M17 pistols and M4 rifles while ensuring they operate under strict use-of-force protocols, designed to protect the public safety of Washington's residents according to statements from the Joint Task Force-DC, as reported by Reuters, HuffPost, and South China Morning Post.

Troops have been deployed primarily from Republican-leaning states and are intended to assist local law enforcement in Washington amidst claims from Trump about rising crime. However, officials have reported that crime has significantly decreased in the District of Columbia, raising concerns among local leaders that the heightened military presence is unnecessary and politically motivated. Democratic Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, criticized Trump for "manufacturing a crisis," specifically highlighting that there is no immediate need for military intervention in cities like Chicago and Baltimore as crime statistics improve, according to reports from Le Monde and Al Jazeera.

Trump's administration has suggested a broader deployment may extend to other Democratic-led cities, which has faced backlash from local officials and community leaders alike. Maryland Governor Wes Moore invited Trump to Baltimore to discuss local safety, but after criticisms of his record on crime, Trump retorted that he might send in military support instead. His assertions that "there is no crime in DC" contradict official data that shows declining crime rates, as indicated by Baltimore's own statistics of reduced violent crime, according to India Times, and Anadolu Agency.

The National Guard's overt militarization has not gone unnoticed; protests against the armed presence have arisen in Washington D.C. as residents express fear and confusion over the militarization of their neighborhoods. Observers note this escalation has galvanized a movement among those advocating for statehood and greater self-governance for the District of Columbia, often highlighting the discrepancies in federal governance, reported by TRT Global, and HuffPost.