The US military is preparing to mobilize hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, DC, though the final decision on their deployment will be made by President Donald Trump, according to two US officials who spoke to Reuters on Sunday. While the precise duties of the troops remain unclear, one official suggested they could assist federal agents or take on administrative responsibilities, thereby allowing local police to focus on direct law enforcement operations.
The development comes as President Trump escalates his rhetoric on law and order in the nation’s capital. In a Truth Social post on Sunday, he vowed to swiftly remove homeless individuals from the city and incarcerate criminals. “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. 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,” Trump wrote.
The president’s remarks included photographs of tent encampments and trash-littered streets in Washington, DC, alongside his promise to make the city “safer and more beautiful than it ever was before.” The White House has yet to explain the legal authority under which Trump intends to carry out his eviction plan, noting that presidential jurisdiction largely extends only to federal property and facilities within the capital.
Trump is scheduled to hold a press conference on Monday dedicated to “stopping violent crime in Washington, DC,” though it is uncertain whether he will unveil concrete measures for the proposed eviction strategy. The comments have drawn attention to the city’s ongoing homelessness crisis. The Community Partnership, a local nonprofit, estimates that about 3,782 individuals experience homelessness on any given night in the capital, with roughly 800 living unsheltered on the streets and the rest in emergency or transitional housing.
According to Reuters, federal law enforcement presence in Washington, DC, has already increased. A White House official confirmed that additional officers were deployed on Friday following a violent attack on a young Trump administration staffer, an incident that reportedly angered the president. Over the weekend, federal agents carried out operations targeting offenses such as unlicensed firearm possession, driving with suspended licenses, and illegal dirt bike riding.
The official said approximately 450 federal officers are currently stationed across the city, working in coordination with local authorities. If the National Guard deployment moves forward, it would add another layer to the administration’s ongoing efforts to tighten security and address crime in the capital.
