Breakdown of the GOP’s security-mobilization strategy: economic discontent among voters strengthens the Democrats ahead of 2026 elections

On November 26, 2025, Donald Trump ordered the deployment of an additional 500 military personnel to the capital. On the same day, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the suspension of accepting immigration applications from all citizens of Afghanistan.

The administration's actions were a consequence of an incident involving an attack by an Afghan citizen on National Guard members who were deployed in Washington in accordance with a presidential executive order.

The White House's reaction to the events in Washington was an attempt by the administration to reorient the American domestic political discourse toward issues where the Trump team still maintains a high level of public trust.