Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday authorized National Guard members to carry firearms while helping law enforcement fighting crimes and homelessness in D.C., the Pentagon said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed an order authorizing the latest National Guard troops to arrive in Washington, D.C. to carry weapons if their mission requires it, according to a person familiar with the matter. The new authority is expected to be acted on in coming days, the person said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard members patrolling the streets of Washington, DC, to begin carrying their service weapons as they fulfill President Donald Trump’s crime crackdown in the nation’s capital,