Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has approved expanding National Guard operations in Washington, D.C., allowing troops to deploy boats, several dozen marked police vehicles, Humvees and light medium tactical vehicles to support law enforcement operations, according to an Oct. 29 memo obtained by Politico. The expanded deployment, scheduled to last until the end of the year, is part of President Trump's pushback against what he described as a "crime emergency" in the capital. National Guard members will assist police during drug enforcement operations using military vehicles, although they are still not allowed to pursue suspects or make arrests. Guard-operated boats will also provide "perimeter security" during operations targeting suspected gang leaders and drug dealers in Anacostia, southeast Washington. The memo specifies that the boats will not conduct surveillance on American citizens and that federal law enforcement officers "must be on board at all times" to make arrests, including when suspects try to escape into the river.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has approved expanding National Guard operations in Washington, D.C., allowing troops to deploy boats, several dozen marked police vehicles, Humvees and light medium tactical vehicles to support law enforcement operations, according to an Oct. 29 memo obtained by Politico. The expanded deployment, scheduled to last until the end of the year, is part of President Trump's pushback against what he described as a "crime emergency" in the capital. National Guard members will assist police during drug enforcement operations using military vehicles, although they are still not allowed to pursue suspects or make arrests. Guard-operated boats will also provide "perimeter security" during operations targeting suspected gang leaders and drug dealers in Anacostia, southeast Washington. The memo specifies that the boats will not conduct surveillance on American citizens and that federal law enforcement officers "must be on board at all times" to make arrests, including when suspects try to escape into the river.