Trump Expands Armed National Guard Deployment in D.C., Threatens to Send Troops to Democratic Cities

Some National Guard units patrolling Washington, D.C., under orders from President Donald Trump have begun carrying firearms, marking an escalation in his military deployment. A Defense Department official said select units were armed with handguns or rifles and were operating under strict rules of force.

An Associated Press photographer on Sunday saw members of the South Carolina National Guard outside Union Station with holstered handguns. A joint task force statement said weapons would only be used as a “last resort” in response to an imminent threat.

The move underscores Trump’s effort to override local and state law enforcement authority, as he weighs deploying troops to other Democratic-led cities including Baltimore, Chicago and New York. On Sunday, Trump threatened to “send in the troops” to Baltimore during a spat with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who has criticized the president’s use of federal power.

Moore invited Trump to visit Baltimore to discuss public safety, noting the city’s violent crime has dropped sharply in recent years. Trump instead attacked Moore’s record on crime and compared him to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, whom he has also clashed with over previous National Guard deployments.

In Washington, thousands of Guard members and federal officers now patrol the streets, drawing sporadic protests and leaving some neighborhoods unusually quiet. Civil rights leaders condemned the deployments. Rev. Al Sharpton said at Howard University that the actions were “laced with bigotry and racism,” noting Trump’s focus on cities led by Black mayors.

Chicago and New York may be next. The Washington Post reported the Pentagon has been preparing for weeks for a possible operation in Chicago involving Guard troops and even active-duty forces. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called the plan an abuse of power, while Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson vowed to sue to block what he called a “military occupation.”

Trump has repeatedly described Democratic-led cities with majority-minority populations as dangerous and unclean. His critics say the deployments are politically motivated, racially charged, and an overreach of presidential power.