National Guard Deploys to D.C. Streets Amid Political Tensions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Guard will begin deploying to the streets of Washington, D.C., starting Tuesday night, a day after the White House took control of the city’s police force, claiming it was a “lawless” city, despite official crime statistics not supporting that claim.

A White House official confirmed the deployment to the Guardian, stating that the National Guard is expected to “begin being on the streets starting tonight.” Defense officials reported that some of the approximately 800 guard members designated for the mission had already been mobilized by Tuesday afternoon, with more expected in the days ahead.

The New York Times reported that a small contingent of National Guard members was spotted in military vehicles across from the Washington Monument. Earlier in the day, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed her anticipation of their deployment on federal properties, including parks and monuments.

“My expectation, though it can change, is that they will deploy the guard on federal properties,” Bowser said.

The National Guard troops were seen leaving the area of the Washington Monument after about two hours, with Master Sgt. Cory Boroff telling reporters, “We just did a presence patrol to be amongst the people, to be seen.” He indicated uncertainty about where the troops would be stationed next.

In related news, the U.S. government’s gross national debt has surpassed $37 trillion, a milestone indicating the rapid growth of federal borrowing. This increase is attributed primarily to the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, which prompted significant government borrowing to stabilize the economy.

A report noted that a small number of National Guard members had already begun mobilizing, while Congress has appropriated $25 billion for a new military project, with estimates that it could ultimately cost around $175 billion.

Republican and Democratic tensions in the House and Senate were evident, with Democratic lawmakers staging walkouts in protest of a congressional redistricting map favoring Republicans. Texas lawmakers remarked on the situation, suggesting the need for urgent attention to flood relief and accusing Governor Greg Abbott of prioritizing partisan interests.

In D.C., press secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to the previous night’s law enforcement surge involving 850 officers and agents, resulting in multiple arrests for various offenses, as part of ongoing efforts to combat crime. She emphasized that six illegal handguns had been seized during the operation.

All these developments showcase the heightened political atmosphere in the nation’s capital as various governmental actions are closely scrutinized.