White House deploys National Guard and takes control of Washington police in early move to contain pro-democracy protests in the capital

On August 11, 2025, the White House announced the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., and the transfer of the capital’s police under federal control.

The following day, approximately 800 National Guard personnel were sent to the city, and by August 20, 2025, the military presence in Washington grew to 2,000 personnel, with units drawn from the states of Louisiana, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Mississippi, where the Republican Party holds control.

The official justification for deploying the National Guard to the U.S. capital and placing the local police under federal control was a statement by Donald Trump citing high crime rates in the District of Columbia and their uncontrolled rise in the capital.