Pentagon is already calling National Guard in other states looking for units that could help in DC

Source: The Independent

Pentagon is already calling National Guard in other states looking for units that could help in DC

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says reinforcements, including ‘specialized units,’ could be called up if needed

Joe Sommerlad
Tuesday 12 August 2025 15:54 BST

President Donald Trump’s decision to activate around 800 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., to tackle street crime has forced the Pentagon to look to other states for help.

Trump announced his decision to federalize D.C.’s police department at a White House press conference on Monday at which he was flanked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said that reinforcements could be called up if the Guard encounters resistance from protesters, adding that “specialized units” might be included in their number.

However, a senior Army official has since told The New York Times that the current deployment of D.C. Guard is likely to be sufficient for the task in hand.

The Department of Defense has reportedly moved to ensure the Guard’s duties in Washington are kept to a safe minimum, with one official telling the Times that “soldiers with M-16s who have been trained to kill adversaries” will not be placed in policing roles.

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Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-national-guard-pentagon-hegseth-b2806155.html

Alternate link: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/pentagon-already-calling-national-guard-125434834.html