West Virginia sending 400 National Guard troops to Washington

Reuters

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey is deploying 300 to 400 National Guard troops to Washington at the request of the Trump administration, his office confirmed Saturday.

Drew Galang, spokesperson for Morrisey, said the order arrived late Friday and efforts were underway to organise the deployment.

Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced hundreds of National Guard troops would be sent to Washington while temporarily placing the city’s police department under federal control to address what he described as a crisis of crime and homelessness in the capital.

A White House official added that the additional deployments were intended “to protect federal assets, create a safe environment for law enforcement officials to carry out their duties when required, and provide a visible presence to deter crime.”

According to U.S. Justice Department data, violent crime in Washington fell to a 30-year low in 2024. District officials and the administration reached a deal on Friday to keep Mayor Muriel Bowser’s appointed police chief in charge following a lawsuit filed by D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb to block the federal takeover.

Trump has indicated he could seek similar actions in other Democratic-led cities, part of a wider effort to expand presidential authority in his second term. A ruling is expected soon in San Francisco on whether Trump acted unlawfully by deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June without California Governor Gavin Newsom’s approval.

The National Guard typically answers to state governors, except when federalised. The D.C. National Guard, unlike others, reports directly to the president.

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