Trump is considering deploying up to 1,000 National Guard troops to D.C. and could make the announcement as early as today, according to one defense official and two U.S. officials.
The number of Guard who would be assigned is still in flux, the officials say, and most of the troops would likely be pulled from the D.C. National Guard.
Officials stress that the decision is not final and no orders have been signed.
This is part of the President’s ongoing effort to increase security in the nation’s capital, but the Guard would be primarily focused on supporting law enforcement with things like administrative help and protecting federal personnel and property, not engaged in direct law enforcement activities.
Asked about the decision, a White House official told NBC News “we won’t get ahead of the president on any potential announcements, but the president has been clear that all options are on the table when it comes to making D.C. safe again.”
Trump foreshadowed this decision on Wednesday when discussing crime in D.C., saying, “what a shame, rate of crime, the rate of muggings, killings and everything else. We’re not going to let it — and that includes bringing in the National Guard, maybe very quickly too.”
