National Guard members are set to arrive at the DC Armory headquarters in Washington, DC, on August 12, 2025. President Donald Trump has declared that the DC Metropolitan Police Department is under federal authority and aims to deploy the National Guard to various districts to combat crime in the capital.
WASHINGTON – President Trump’s decision to send 800 National Guard members to the District of Columbia has sparked discussions, especially given that crime rates are reportedly at historical lows.
“Even if (DC) seems chaotic, we’re going to regain control swiftly, much like we did at the southern border,” Trump expressed during a press conference on Monday. He promised to extend similar measures to more cities governed by Democrats.
His return to the White House was marked by a commitment to an extensive deportation initiative, which involved the need to manage newly arriving migrants at the border amid high crime rates, using the military for detentions.
Since taking office, the president has sent thousands of national security guards to the US-Mexico border, reinforcing military presence there and intersecting immigrants with military personnel.
California’s National Guard deployment in response to unrest over immigration raids was seen as a testing ground for state troops usage. California Governor Gavin Newsom remarked that Trump seemed to be intensifying his actions in Los Angeles.
“He illuminates his path to militarizing the cities he focuses on in America,” Newsom commented, suggesting this behavior resembles that of a dictator.
“Quick Reaction Force”
Currently, the Trump administration is considering establishing a “quick reaction force” consisting of 600 National Guard members, poised to deploy typically within an hour to address protests or civil unrest in major US cities, as reported by documents from the Washington Post.
The Post noted that armed groups will be allocated evenly between Alabama and Arizona in this plan.
The Department of Defense’s proposal involves rotating service members from various National Guard units across several states including Alabama, Arizona, California, and more.
Typically, National Guard members serve as reserves and are often called upon as first responders during natural disasters.
Neither the Department of Defense nor the National Guard responded to inquiries regarding the “Speed Reaction Force” plan, and neither did the White House comment.
Which City Will Be Next?
During the press conference, Trump pointed to four cities—Baltimore, Chicago, New York City, and Oakland—as potential locations for similar National Guard deployments. Interestingly, violent crime rates in these major Democratic-run cities have been reportedly declining.
Baltimore County, Cook County, New York City, and the entire state of California were recently identified as “sanctuary jurisdictions” by the Department of Justice, which means they have policies that hinder federal immigration enforcement.
It’s worth noting, though, that while the president exercises control over the National Guard in Washington, DC, under existing law, state governors maintain control over their own National Guard members.
Moreover, Trump has taken control of 3,400 officers in line with the District Home Rules Act for 29 days; however, experts question the legality of extending this to other local police departments.
Legal experts suggest that because DC is not a state, it complicates the process, with one lawyer noting, “There’s no playbook for what they’re considering outside DC.”
Los Angeles
A lawsuit initiated by Newsom this week challenges the president’s federal authority over the California National Guard. Following an appeal, a court temporarily upheld Trump’s actions.
Notably, Trump deployed 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines in Los Angeles in response to protests involving masked immigrants and Customs Enforcement agents.
However, the issue before courts in San Francisco is not about the legality of the president’s actions, but rather who holds authority over the National Guard.
Some governors, like Maryland’s Wes Moore, deemed Trump’s National Guard deployment decision “serious and extremely dangerous.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker pointed out on social media that Trump lacks the authority to send the National Guard to Chicago.
This ongoing conflict between Trump and Democratic leaders potentially undermines efforts to redraw district maps in Texas while Newsom contemplates changes in California’s Capitol district.
Military Considerations
Since the beginning of his second term, Trump has enacted five executive orders aimed at expanding military use domestically as part of his immigration enforcement policies.
Funding allocated through a major tax and spending reduction bill passed in July emphasizes Trump’s $170 billion initiative, which focuses on bolstering border security, increasing immigration detention capacity, and hiring more enforcement officers.
Interestingly, some Republican governors have agreed to dispatch their National Guard members to assist the administration with immigration enforcement. There are precedents for deploying national security guards for local police functions, but experts highlight that using military personnel for regular police duties has not occurred at this level before.
