about half of 2,450 national guard soldier People deployed to Washington, D.C., are reportedly set to leave the city at the end of this fall amid President Trump’s crackdown on crime.
Officials in Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia – who Have sent A combined 1,131 troops to contribute to Trump’s federal law enforcement initiative have set target dates for their withdrawal in late October and November. The Associated Press reported,
A spokesperson for Joint Task Force-District of Columbia declined to comment to The Hill, directing questions to the state governor’s offices.
The National Guard has been active in the country’s capital since Trump’s August. issued an executive order Declaring a state of crime emergency, local police were placed under the city police’s control for 30 days under the President. home rule actwith the guardsman provide presence Around Washington.
But unlike typical National Guard domestic missions like helping in crises like hurricanes, wildfires or tornadoes, the troops sent to Washington largely patrolled popular tourist destinations like the National Mall. They have also been helping inbeautification projectsThat includes collecting leaves, picking up trash, and laying mulch for the U.S. Park Service.
As of Thursday, 2,453 troops were in the city, including 971 from the D.C. National Guard and 1,482 from eight states.
The dates could potentially be extended for out-of-state Guardsmen, but the planned withdrawal is a sign that the number of troops in the nation’s capital may be much smaller than Trump wants. send national guard troops In Other US citiesIncluding Portland and Chicago. Both states have took legal action Attempting to stop any deployment.
National Guard troops were spotted outside the Windy City and patrolling the streets of Memphis, Tennessee first time On Friday.
Other states with troops in the capital, including Alabama, Louisiana and South Dakota, have not said when they will remove their troops from the Capitol.
South Carolina, which has 40 Guardsmen in Washington after initially sending 200, plans to return by the end of October, according to the AP.
Meanwhile, Ohio, Georgia, Mississippi and West Virginia are set to withdraw their troops by November 30.
The D.C. National Guard deployment will continue through at least December after its orders were extended in September, though D.C.’s attorney general brought a lawsuit A hearing challenging the posting is to be held on October 24.
Meanwhile, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has said that National Guard troops outside the state “are not an efficient use of those resources.”
Asked about the planned withdrawal, the White House did not immediately respond, as it claimed staff reductions were related to ongoing government shutdown,
