National Guard to start carrying weapons in DC this weekend
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard troops to start carrying firearms while patrolling the streets of Washington for President Donald Trump's law enforcement crackdown, the Pentagon said Friday.
National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., will now carry weapons for personal protection and are allowed to carry out law enforcement duties, defense officials said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized National Guard troops deployed to Washington to bring their weapons with them on their mission. But it was not clear whether the troops would be armed as they walked through the city, or simply store their weapons in their vehicles, which would not be a significant change over their current status.
An estimated 1,900 troops are being deployed in D.C. with more than half are coming from GOP-led states responding to the Trump admin.
Vice President JD Vance joined Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller at Washington’s Union Station to greet National Guard troops deployed to the capital.