Three additional states send National Guard troops to D.C.
News | By Easton Martin | August 19, 2025
Three additional Republican governors, those of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, have authorized their National Guard forces to deploy in support of federal operations in Washington, D.C. These latest contributions join similar commitments from other GOP-led states, including West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio, bringing the total involvement to six states and raising troop numbers to well over 1,100.
The deployments follow President Trump’s executive order declaring a crime emergency in the District of Columbia. The Guard troops, while federally funded and generally unarmed, are assigned to support law enforcement by securing federal facilities, providing visible patrolling, aiding traffic control, and assisting in monument and community safety patrols. Governors have emphasized that their state forces are prepared to assist as needed, describing the actions as demonstrations of regional cooperation and commitment to public safety.
Although the District’s violent crime rate had been declining before these actions, there still remain accusations of fraud regarding the District’s crime statistics. The federal government portrays the deployments as precautionary enhancements to the Capitol’s security infrastructure. The added presence of National Guard units is meant to provide both deterrence and support to local authorities, ensuring that federal property and key sites in Washington remain secure.
