Washington, D.C., is under an indefinite watch by the National Guard, with plans hinting at a stay through the summer of 2026.
Axios reported that a court filing by D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb reveals the National Guard’s extended presence in the nation’s capital has sparked a legal battle over whether this deployment oversteps federal boundaries.
Back in August, President Donald Trump announced this deployment, citing a dire need to curb what he called a "crime emergency" in D.C.
Shortly after that bold declaration, Trump placed the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control, a move that raised eyebrows among those wary of centralized power grabs.
Since mid-September, additional Guard members from states like Alabama have been rotated into the city, reporting not to local leaders but straight to the Pentagon via the D.C. National Guard.
Internal documents in Schwalb’s filing, submitted on a recent Friday, suggest a “long-term persistent presence,” with even an email from Commander Maj. Gen. Leland Blanchard ordered troops to prepare for “wintering” through the colder months.
Schwalb isn’t sitting idly by—he’s challenging this deployment as unlawful in a lawsuit, arguing it violates the Posse Comitatus Act, a 147-year-old statute that limits federal troops in domestic policing unless Congress approves.
His filing points to exhibits showing Guard members being deputized as federal law enforcement, performing policing duties despite many lacking proper police training—a risky proposition for public safety, as Schwalb warns.
The concern here isn’t just legal nitpicking; out-of-state troops taking orders from the Pentagon rather than local officials could erode the very autonomy D.C. fights to maintain.
Meanwhile, the White House is doubling down, with spokeswoman Taylor Rogers telling WUSA-TV on a recent Tuesday, “President Trump successfully stopped the out-of-control crime crisis in our nation's capital and turned it into a safe and clean city.”
Let’s unpack that—while safer streets are a noble goal, using federal troops long-term feels like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut, especially when local governance gets sidelined.
Rogers also added to WUSA-TV, “To ensure the long-term success of the federal operations to deter violent crime, the National Guard is still present in Washington, D.C. We are thankful for their service.”
Gratitude for service is one thing, but when internal plans point to a Guard presence possibly lasting until the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration in 2026, it’s fair to ask: where’s the exit strategy?
Elsewhere, a parallel drama unfolded as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on a recent Monday to allow the Trump administration’s deployment of 200 Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, after a federal judge initially blocked it following the order on September 28.
Back in D.C., U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, a Biden appointee, has yet to rule on Schwalb’s request for an injunction, leaving this contentious issue in limbo while armed soldiers patrol streets under federal—not local—command, a setup that could set a troubling precedent if unchecked.