National Guard troops in D.C. to begin carrying firearms [View all]
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.
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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
💙❤️💙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.
— 💙â¤ï¸ðŸ’™Mia💙â¤ï¸ðŸ’™ (@mommamia.bsky.social) 2025-08-24T23:00:32.010Z
THIS IS NOT NORMAL!
⬇ï¸
National Guard troops in DC to begin carrying firearms
www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
National Guard in District of Columbia
Members of the South Carolina National Guard patrol Union Station in Washington on SundayJose Luis Magana / AP
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