West Virginia deploys hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington

Source: Politico

08/16/2025 11:35 AM EDT


West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Saturday that, at the request of the Trump administration, he will deploy hundreds from his state’s National Guard to Washington, D.C.

“West Virginia is proud to stand with President [Donald] Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation’s capital,” the governor said in a press release. “The men and women of our National Guard represent the best of our state, and this mission reflects our shared commitment to a strong and secure America.”

Trump has fixated on crime in Washington in the last week, deploying the National Guard on Monday and invoking for the first time ever a provision of the Home Rule Act — the 1970s law that grants the District limited self-governance — for what the administration described as a takeover of the city’s police force, despite violent crime declining in the city.

City leaders and the administration are now locked in a legal battle after Attorney General Pam Bondi tried to appoint an “emergency” police commissioner, a move the administration partially walked back in an agreement with city officials amid a lawsuit Friday. The state’s involvement will “include providing mission-essential equipment, specialized training, and approximately 300-400 skilled personnel as directed,” the release said.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/16/national-guard-dc-trump-00512677