Trump to Use Military for Domestic Law Enforcement in Capital: Is This Really about Fighting Crime?

Aug 12, 2025 | On Monday, US President Donald Trump announced that he was deploying National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. The US capital's police force is also set to come under federal government management. President Trump says the aim is to deal with what he calls the city's "wave of lawlessness." Critics, however, point to statistics indicating violent crime is at its lowest in years. Washington is not part of a US state and has its own rules governing its security structures.