President Donald Trump’s administration is expanding the National Guard’s presence in Washington, D.C., authorizing troops to use military vehicles, marked police cars, and boats to support law enforcement operations even as local Democrats move to push hundreds of out-of-state guardsmen out of the capital.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth authorized the expanded equipment deployment in an October 29 memo obtained by Politico. The authorization allows National Guard members to use several dozen marked police vehicles, Humvees, light medium tactical vehicles, and boats through the end of the year.
The vehicles are intended to support law enforcement operations, including drug busts, but Guard members remain prohibited from pursuing suspects or making arrests. The boats will provide what the memo describes as “perimeter security” for police operations targeting suspected gang leaders and drug traffickers in the Anacostia area of Southeast Washington.
Hegseth directed that federal law enforcement officers “must always be on board” Guard vessels to handle arrests, including when suspects attempt to escape by jumping into the river. The memo also prohibits the boats from conducting surveil...