3 States Send National Guard Troops to Washington amid Protests over Trump’s DC Crackdown
Three US states said they would send hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington to back Donald Trump administration’s effort to overhaul policing in the nation’s capital through a federal crackdown, reported the Associated Press (AP).
Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Washington on Saturday to protest Trump’s executive order federalizing local police forces and activating about 800 District of Columbia National Guard members.
US States Sending Troops
Three Republican-led states announced they would send hundreds of national guard members to the capital at the request of the Trump administration. West Virginia Governor, Patrick Morrisey, announced the deployment of 300 to 400 troops, saying that the state “is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation’s capital.”
Meanwhile, South Carolina Governor, Henry McMaster, said he would deploy 200 national guard members to help law enforcement in Washington, and Ohio Governor, Mike DeWine, pledged 150 military police from the Guard to “carry out presence patrols and serve as added security.”
Trump’s DC Takeover
Last week, Trump issued an executive order declaring a crime emergency in the Democratic District of Columbia. The US President said that his administration would take over Washington’s police department for at least a month and activate 800 members of the National Guard to reduce crimes and remove homeless encampments. “We’re going to take our capital back,” Trump said.
The District of Columbia enjoys a congressionally established federal district status, which gives Trump a unique opportunity to advance his crackdown-on-crime agenda.
In his emergency declaration, Trump cited the “city government’s failure to maintain public order and safety” which impact “the Federal Government’s ability to operate efficiently to address the Nation’s broader interests without fear of our workers being subjected to rampant violence.”
Trump’s show of force came as the DC police department’s data showed that violent crime was at a 30-year-low when the US President returned to office in January and 26% lower compared to this time last year, according to The Guardian.
More Manpower
The Trump administration’s activations of National Guard members indicate that it needs additional manpower, although the US President dismissed the idea that Washington needs to enlarge its police force.
However, the Trump administration has not revealed why it needs additional troops and the deployed National Guard members have so far played a limited role in the federal intervention.
Within this context, a White House official said that more National Guard troops are being sent to Washington 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 Reuters.
Protests against Trump’s Crackdown
Hundreds of Americans demonstrated against Trump’s federal crackdown and attempted takeover of Washington’s police department. On Saturday, protesters marched to the White House, carrying banners saying “No fascist takeover of DC,” while chanting “Shame” and “No military occupation.”
The protesters were driven by concerns that Trump could use crime as a pretext to increase his influence and impose his will on Washington, hoping that they could push the administration to reverse its actions.
The demonstrations took place one day after the Trump administration backed off an effort to appoint Drug Enforcement Administration head, Terry Cole, as an “emergency police commissioner” who would assume full operational control over DC police, after DC Attorney General, Brian Schwalb, filed a lawsuit in federal court.
