Thousands March in Washington D.C. Demanding Trump Withdraw National Guard Troops

Several thousand Washington D.C. residents marched on Saturday to demand that US President Donald Trump end the deployment of National Guard troops patrolling the capital’s streets.

The “We Are All D.C.” march included undocumented immigrants and pro-Palestine supporters, with demonstrators chanting anti-Trump slogans and carrying posters reading “Trump must go now,” “Free DC,” and “Resist Tyranny.”

“I’m here to protest the occupation of D.C.,” said protester Alex Laufer. “We’re opposing the authoritarian regime, and we need to get the federal police and the National Guard off our streets.”

Trump ordered the troop deployment last month, citing a need to restore “law, order, and public safety,” despite Justice Department data showing that violent crime in 2024 hit a 30-year low in the city. The president also took direct control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed federal law enforcement, including ICE officers.

Over 2,000 troops, many from Republican-led states, remain on patrol, with the Army extending the DC National Guard’s mission until November 30. Some residents, however, have welcomed the Guard, calling for their deployment in higher-crime neighborhoods.

While D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser praised Trump’s federal law enforcement surge for reducing crime, she said she hoped the National Guard’s mission would conclude soon. Meanwhile, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the deployment, arguing it violates the Constitution and federal law