0:42A National Guard vehicle is stationed near the Lincoln Memorial, August 14, 2025 in Washington.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Beginning Thursday morning, National Guard personnel have initiated around-the-clock operations in Washington, D.C., as reported by a Department of Defense representative.
This action is part of President Donald Trump's strategy to combat crime in Washington by assuming control of the city’s police department and deploying National Guard members.
The National Guard’s presence in Washington on Thursday included a small unit dispatched to both Union Station and the National Mall early in the day, according to a spokesperson for the joint task force managing the operation. The intention was for residents and visitors to wake up to the visibility of military forces, as per a source acquainted with the initiative.
A National Guard vehicle is stationed near the Lincoln Memorial, August 14, 2025 in Washington.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
National Guard members stand by at Union Station, August 14, 2025 in Washington.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
National Guard personnel observe as travelers enter Union Station near the Capitol, in Washington, Aug. 14, 2025.J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Earlier this week, a number of National Guard troops patrolled the National Mall — a generally safe and tranquil area of Washington known for its museums, monuments, and hot dog vendors catering to tourists.
Department of Homeland Security Investigations agents apprehend an individual at a checkpoint as they collaborate with Washington Metropolitan Police Department officers to conduct traffic inspections along 14th Street in northwest Washington, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington.Jose Luis Magana/AP
Currently, Guard members on patrol are not armed, and they will not have weapons in their vehicles, according to two defense officials.
An official from the White House informed ABC News that during the night from Wednesday to Thursday, the multi-agency federal task force made 45 arrests — 29 of which were related to immigration. Law enforcement teams made arrests on various charges including first and second-degree assault, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and carrying a concealed weapon, according to the White House official.
FBI Director Kash Patel tweeted that during the overnight hours from Wednesday to Thursday, the FBI and its law enforcement partners in Washington were responsible for 45 arrests, with 16 arrests "linked to the surge in violent crime" and the seizure of three firearms.
"Your FBI will make DC Safe Again," Patel stated.
Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Park Police officers detain an individual on the National Mall, August 12, 2025 in Washington.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Law enforcement agents established a traffic safety compliance checkpoint on the busy 14th Street in Northwest Washington Wednesday night, which resulted in one arrest. A group of protesters expressed their dissent over the checkpoint, yelling at the law enforcement officers, according to footage from Washington's ABC affiliate, WJLA.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
