Trump visits police and troops deployed in US capital
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Members of the National Guard in Washington, DC, on Aug 19. US President Donald Trump had ordered the deployment of the National Guard in the US capital.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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- Trump had planned to patrol Washington, DC, with deployed troops, citing a "crime emergency", despite data showing a drop in violent crime.
- 2,000 National Guard members are mobilised from DC and Republican states for patrols.
- Residents are divided, some welcoming the crackdown while others protest the show of force, highlighted by incidents like the "sandwich guy".
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WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on Aug 21 visited police and troops he has deployed in the US capital in what he calls a crackdown on crime, saying they were going to “stay here for a while”.
He ordered hundreds of members of the National Guard
“We’re going to make it safe, and we’re going to then go on to other places, but we’re going to stay here for a while. We want to make this absolutely perfect,” the Republican said outside a US Park Police facility in the Anacostia neighbourhood of Washington.
He was surrounded by law enforcement from various local and federal agencies, as well as National Guard troops.
Earlier on Aug 21, the 79-year-old had suggested he would go on patrol with the police and the military, but instead, he made a short speech, and gave out pizzas and hamburgers.
“Everybody feels safe,” he said, adding that he plans to get the capital “fixed up physically”.
“One of the things we’re going to be redoing is your parks. I’m very good at grass, because I have a lot of golf courses all over the place. I know more about grass than any human being,” the billionaire added.
He spoke one day after Vice-President J.D. Vance was greeted by boos and shouts of “free DC” – referring to the District of Columbia – during his own meet-and-greet with troops deployed in the city.
Mr Vance dismissed the hecklers as “a bunch of crazy protesters”.
The DC National Guard has mobilised 800 troops for the mission, while Republican states Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia are sending a total of around 1,200 more.
They have been spotted in major tourist areas such as the National Mall and its monuments, the Nationals Park baseball stadium and others.
The overwhelmingly Democratic US capital faces allegations from Republican politicians that it is overrun by crime, plagued by homelessness and financially mismanaged.
But data from the Washington police showed significant drops in violent crime between 2023 and 2024, though that was coming off the back of a post-pandemic surge.
Some residents have welcomed the crackdown, pointing to crime in their areas – but others have complained that the show of force is unnecessary, or has not been seen in parts of the US capital where violence is concentrated.
‘Sandwich guy’
Several incidents involving the surge of law enforcement have gone viral as capital residents voice their discontent, including the arrest of one man who was caught on camera throwing a sandwich at an agent after a night out.
Banksy-style posters honouring the so-called “sandwich guy” have popped up around the city.
The National Guard troops have provided “critical support such as crowd management, presence patrols and perimeter control in support of law enforcement”, according to statements on their official X account.
In addition to sending troops into the streets, Mr Trump has also sought to take full control of the Washington police department, attempting at one point to sideline its leadership.
The deployment of troops in Washington comes after Mr Trump dispatched the National Guard and Marines to quell unrest in Los Angeles, California
