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3d ago

Trump Keeps Thousands of National Guard in Washington as Questions Grow Over Impact and Cost

Court records, crime data and budget estimates show the troops are seldom cited in prosecutions, concentrated in wealthier neighborhoods, and forecast to cost hundreds of millions more through January 2029.

National Guard troops patrol the FIFA World Cup Fan Zone on the National Mall following the U.S. ‌Justice Department's May announcement of planned "summer surge" of law enforcement in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 25, 2026. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo
National Guard members stand in a cordoned-off area after two National Guard members were reportedly shot near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 26, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
National Guard troops stand back-to-back as they wait to cross the street while on patrol following the U.S. ‌Justice Department's May announcement of planned "summer surge" of law enforcement in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Leah Millis
U.S. military members walk near the Washington Monument, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department under the Home Rule Act and the deployment of the National Guard to assist in crime prevention in the nation's capital, in Washington, D.C., August 14, 2025. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

Overview

  • The National Guard deployment, which began on Aug. 11, 2025, remains active after the administration extended the mission through January 20, 2029 while legal challenges proceed.
  • A Reuters analysis of Superior Court charging documents found the Guard is mentioned in roughly 1.3% of criminal cases, with many references limited to witness roles or standing by until police arrived.
  • Court filings and reporting show soldiers were deployed mainly near the city’s core and in whiter, wealthier neighborhoods rather than in the corridors where most recent murders occurred.
  • Nonpartisan and official estimates put the early rollout cost at about $223 million and project roughly $1.4 billion more to maintain the force through the end of the term, with monthly costs near $55 million.
  • The deployment has produced lawsuits, community complaints of harassment and questions about D.C. autonomy and long-term sustainability that could shape local policing, congressional scrutiny, and governors’ willingness to continue providing troops.