National guard troops armed in Washington as Trump crackdown sparks heavy handed arrests

National Guard soldiers deployed in Washington, D.C. are now carrying weapons as part of Donald Trump’s controversial crackdown on crime in the capital.

NBC News reported that from Sunday night around 2,000 troops were armed, most with standard issue M17 pistols and a smaller number with M4 rifles. The order was given by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who described the move as “common sense.”

According to officials, the weapons can be used in self-defence or in the event of an “imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.” While the troops are not making arrests, they are working alongside local police to protect landmarks and help with traffic and crowd control. Just a day earlier, Associated Press had described them casually chatting with residents, feeding squirrels and posing for photos.

The U.S. Army confirmed that troops would receive training and weapons qualifications before being armed. The Daily Beast said it had reached out to both the White House and the Pentagon for further comment.

The wider deployment includes more than 2,200 National Guard soldiers and airmen, following Trump’s order for a major law-and-order push in D.C. He justified it by blaming crime on illegal immigration, homelessness and even vermin. “It was a crime-infested rathole,” Trump said on Friday. “And they do have a lot of rats. We’re getting rid of them, too. And we’ve made a lot of progress.”

But the methods are facing criticism after some minor offences ended up in federal court. One case involved 28-year-old Mark Bigelow, who was stopped by a team of FBI, Metropolitan Police, ICE, DEA and State Department agents after they allegedly spotted an open alcohol container in his car. Court papers say another cup of alcohol was found in the back seat.

Bigelow was arrested for possession of an open container but the charges escalated when he allegedly made “physical contact” with officers, leading to counts of assault and resisting a federal officer. These charges carry a maximum sentence of eight years.

His public defender, Elizabeth Mullin, told the judge her client’s case showed how Trump’s task force was “heavy-handed,” arguing: “He was caught up in this federal occupation of D.C. This was a case created by federal law enforcement.”

The White House pushed back strongly, insisting the arrest was justified. Its Rapid Response unit posted online: “This article says the man had two open containers of alcohol in his vehicle, then kicked two police officers after being questioned about it. We think getting would-be drunk drivers and cop beaters off our streets is a good thing.”

Trump himself hailed the crackdown as a success, claiming crime had fallen sharply. “D.C. was a hellhole,” he said. “But now it’s safe. The big question is how long do we stay? Because if we stay, we want to make sure it doesn’t come back. So we have to take care of these criminals and get them out.”

Yet a CNN analysis one week in painted a mixed picture. Robberies and car break-ins were down more than 40 percent, but burglaries rose 6 percent and assaults with a dangerous weapon jumped by 14 percent. The same report found a notable rise in arrests of immigrants.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the results, calling them “life-changing for the countless D.C. residents and visitors who have not been murdered, robbed, carjacked, or victims of overall violent crime in the last week.”

Trump also clashed with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who claimed crime was already falling before federal troops arrived. He accused her of misleading the public and threatened to strip her authority. “It was unsafe. It was horrible. And Mayor Bowser better get her act straight or she won’t be mayor very long because we’ll take it over with the federal government, run it like it’s supposed to be run.”