National Guard troops in D.C. to begin carrying firearms

[riversedge]

Source: nbc news


A majority of the National Guard troops deployed to D.C. as part of President Trump's crime crackdown will now carry M17 pistols.

Aug. 24, 2025, 5:52 PM CDT By Mosheh Gains and Nnamdi Egwuonwu

WASHINGTON — National Guard troops deployed to Washington this month to support President Donald Trump's effort to mitigate crime will begin carrying firearms Sunday evening, according to a Defense Department official with knowledge of the planning.

The majority of the guard members will carry M17 pistols, their service-issued weapons, the official said, while a small number of the troops will be armed with M4 rifles. The troops are authorized to use their weapons for self-protection.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday ordered the authorization of roughly 2,000 National Guard troops in D.C. to begin carrying weapons. It marked a shift in the posture of the guard members, who had been unarmed as they worked to support law enforcement by assisting with community safety patrols, traffic control points and crowd flow support.

........................

More than 2,200 National Guard soldiers and airmen, a majority from out of state, have been deployed to D.C. to support what Trump has framed as a concerted effort to tackle crime and homelessness in the nation's capital. At the time of the initial troop deployment this month, violent crime had dropped roughly 27% year over year, according to D.C. police data...................

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/national-guard-troops-dc-begin-carrying-firearms-rcna226890

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‪💙❤️💙Mia💙❤️💙‬
‪@mommamia.bsky.social‬
· 34m
He’s doing exactly what we knew he would do – we just assumed he would seek a violent protest to get things started… Surprise.

THIS IS NOT NORMAL!
⬇️
National Guard troops in DC to begin carrying firearms

www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

He’s doing exactly what we knew he would do – we just assumed he would seek a violent protest to get things started… Surprise.

THIS IS NOT NORMAL!
⬇️
National Guard troops in DC to begin carrying firearms

www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

— 💙❤️💙Mia💙❤️💙 (@mommamia.bsky.social) 2025-08-24T23:00:32.010Z

National Guard in District of Columbia
Members of the South Carolina National Guard patrol Union Station in Washington on SundayJose Luis Magana / AP

[Blues Heron]

1. Every day another escalation. Where is this going?

[bluestarone]

2. Refuse to carry them!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. " ... [W]e're about to enter the "dozens of Kent State's" portion of the story."

Reposted by Kevin M. Kruse
https://bsky.app/profile/kevinmkruse.bsky.social

Seth Cotlar
‪@sethcotlar.bsky.social‬

Follow
Trump's Presidencies have so far involved numerous Saturday Night Massacres, dozens of Watergates, and a never ending parade of Tea Pot Dome scandals. I worry that we're about to enter the "dozens of Kent State's" portion of the story.

‪Mark Chadbourn‬
‪@chadbourn.bsky.social‬
· 1h
National Guard troops in DC will be armed from this evening, ABC reports.

And the Pentagon confirmed plans are being drawn up for the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago.
August 24, 2025 at 6:41 PM

Trump's Presidencies have so far involved numerous Saturday Night Massacres, dozens of Watergates, and a never ending parade of Tea Pot Dome scandals. I worry that we're about to enter the "dozens of Kent State's" portion of the story.

— Seth Cotlar (@sethcotlar.bsky.social) 2025-08-24T22:41:36.596Z

Mark Chadbourn
‪@chadbourn.bsky.social‬

Follow
National Guard troops in DC will be armed from this evening, ABC reports.

And the Pentagon confirmed plans are being drawn up for the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago.
August 24, 2025 at 6:33 PM

National Guard troops in DC will be armed from this evening, ABC reports.

And the Pentagon confirmed plans are being drawn up for the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago.

— Mark Chadbourn (@chadbourn.bsky.social) 2025-08-24T22:33:49.190Z

[ancianita]

4. drip, drip, drip ...

[Norrrm]

5. What happened to "administrative tasks" for the NG?

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-military-preparing-national-guard-activation-washington-dc-officials-say-2025-08-11/

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143510698

TRUMP TO ORDER NATIONAL GUARD INTO D.C.

[MLWR]

6. Apparently Krasnov is itching for his very own Kent State.

And I'd bet if anyone asked him, he wouldn't have the remotest clue what they were talking about.

[msongs]

7. ya never know when you might have to murder an undocumented dishwasher

[Deuxcents]

8. Or shoot a guy throwing a subway sandwich. He's creating a problem when there isn't one..to his delight

[azureblue]

9. Note the troops are beig deployed

in the safe parts of town. Not the parts where crime rate is highest. It's all for show...

[Mawspam2]

10. And Pirro sez anyone carrying guns in DC will not be prosecuted.

Doing everything they can to create their Kent State / Reichstag justification to use the military to attack Americans and cancel all pesky laws.

[ashredux]

11. Just two words: Kent State