DC National Guard announces extended deployment in DC to Nov 30

The National Guard presence in Washington, DC has been extended to November 30 in an announcement on Thursday as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on crime in the nation's capital. The president has floated sending the National Guard to other cities in the US with high crime rates.

The DC National Guard made the announcement on X with Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard II, who is the interim commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard.

“Our mission is not complete,” he said. "I've made the decision to extend the encampment as we continue to work to ensure everyone that walks these city streets is safe.” Trump deployed the National Guard troops around the city earlier in August, as well as federalized the city's police force to crack down on crime.

Blanchard thanked residents and families in the nation's capital for their support, as well as thanked National Guard troops for their service to deter criminality. Under policies used by the Trump administration to declare an emergency in Washington, DC and federalize law enforcement, the emergency usually expires in 30 days, which would be on September 10 unless Congress approves an extension of the emergency.

However, when House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked about the House voting to extend the emergency, he stated, "We're working through various ideas on what that can entail, and really a nationwide crime bill is one of the things on the table. A couple of the areas that we're looking at specifically, initially, is the juvenile crime problem." Although the end of the emergency does not necessarily mean that the National Guard troops will be taken off the streets, per NBC 4.

The deployment of the National Guard is up to the president, and Trump did not say how long the National Guard would be in DC. The DC National Guard said that the extension is a matter of logistics, so that troops do not lose pay or benefits. The extension is only for the National Guard in DC, but not for the National Guard troops that were sent by other governors to the capital.