**Global Times reported by Zhou Yang** According to the Associated Press on the 16th, the governors of three Republican-led states announced on the same day that they would send hundreds of National Guard members to Washington, D.C. to support the Trump administration’s law and order operation in the area. Residents of Washington, D.C. launched protests against the new deployment on the 16th.
Previously, the Trump administration had deployed 800 National Guard members to Washington, D.C. under the guise of fighting crime. After the “reinforcement” from the three states arrived, the number of National Guard members in Washington, D.C. will grow to more than 1,500. The Associated Press said that this move marks the further takeover of the capital’s police work by the federal government.
West Virginia Governor Morrisey said he had ordered 300 to 400 National Guard members to go to Washington. Morrisey posted on social media that this was to “support President Trump’s efforts to make Washington, D.C. safe and beautiful.” According to CNN, White House officials said that this batch of National Guard members from West Virginia will be responsible for protecting federal assets, creating a safe environment for law enforcement agencies to perform their tasks, and deterring crimes through high-intensity patrols. South Carolina Governor McMaster said he approved the dispatch of 200 National Guard members in response to the Pentagon’s request. Ohio Governor DeWine said in a statement that in response to the request of Army Secretary Driscoll, he decided to dispatch 150 National Guard members who will arrive in the next few days to perform patrol and security tasks.
The Associated Press said that by deploying troops from other areas in Washington, D.C., the Trump administration can exert stronger control over the city based on existing law enforcement forces. However, so far, the role of National Guard members in intervention operations has been limited, and they have not directly carried out any arrests. In addition to the National Guard, a large number of federal law enforcement officers have also appeared on the streets of Washington, D.C. recently. According to an internal memo obtained by CNN, the Secret Service alone has more than 700 people participating in the “Safe Streets Initiative” in the capital every day.
White House officials said that the Trump administration will also focus on homeless encampments in the capital, and 25 encampments have been cleared since the 13th. The official stressed that homeless people will be sent to shelters, and those who refuse to leave may be sent to prison. Social groups have criticized this practice as not only illegal but also counterproductive.
According to the New York Times, there was a direct friction between the Trump administration and the government of Washington D.C. over the power of police work. On the 14th, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Terrence Cole, the director of the Drug Enforcement Administration, as the emergency police chief of the district, which triggered a lawsuit from the D.C. government. After an emergency court hearing, the Department of Justice agreed to revoke Cole’s appointment as the emergency police chief and instead let him serve as a coordinator between the government and the police force. This allowed Washington D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith to remain in control of the police force. Judge Anna Reyes emphasized that according to the law, Washington D.C. is obligated to follow the requirements of the White House, but the law does not give the federal government full control over the police force. Orders from the White House still need to be communicated and executed through the D.C. government.
Meanwhile, protests against the federal government’s deployment of National Guard are also intensifying. On the 16th, a large number of people gathered at Dupont Circle in Washington D.C., holding banners with slogans such as “Refuse to be taken over by Washington” and “Reject military occupation” while marching to the White House. Protest organizer Tyler said they hoped to force the Trump administration to compromise on issues of public security and immigration. Longtime resident of Washington D.C., Finnegan, criticized the Trump administration’s approach as “very ridiculous” because the crime rate in Washington D.C. had already been on a decline before the deployment of National Guard. Teacher Dickstein expressed her concern for student safety due to “unidentified law enforcement officers arresting people at random” on the street.