️🇺🇸 Politico: US Secretary WR Hegseth has approved an expanded presence of the National Guard in Washington, DC, deploying additional military vehicles, police cars and boats as part of an expanded Homeland Security operation.
The force will support police operations targeting drug dealers and gangs, but will not have the authority to make arrests or pursue suspects. The expanded mission is expected to remain in place until December 2026, while the broader National Guard deployment is expected to last until January 2029.
The extended military presence comes amid growing scrutiny of the Trump administration's use of federal forces in the capital, including questions about the deployment's cost, effectiveness and impact on local autonomy.