US Secretary of Defense Hegseth has authorized the Washington DC National Guard to begin using ships, dozens of vehicles with police markings, Hummers, and light and medium tactical vehicles. This marks an escalation in the existence of the National Guard and may further blur the lines between its military and law enforcement roles. It's unclear why the Trump administration is taking this action at this time. The memorandum details this expansion, but provides no further details other than doubling down on Trump's plans to use the National Guard to fight what he calls a “criminal emergency” in the capital. The enhanced deployment will continue until the end of the year. According to the memorandum, these ships will provide “peripheral security” for police operations against suspected gang leaders and drug dealers in the Anacostia region in the southeastern part of the capital, but they will not monitor US citizens. Hegseth said federal law enforcement agents “must always be on National Guard boats” to “assist in arresting criminal suspects,” including those who may jump into rivers to evade law enforcement.

US Secretary of Defense Hegseth has authorized the Washington DC National Guard to begin using ships, dozens of vehicles with police markings, Hummers, and light and medium tactical vehicles. This marks an escalation in the existence of the National Guard and may further blur the lines between its military and law enforcement roles. It's unclear why the Trump administration is taking this action at this time. The memorandum details this expansion, but provides no further details other than doubling down on Trump's plans to use the National Guard to fight what he calls a “criminal emergency” in the capital. The enhanced deployment will continue until the end of the year. According to the memorandum, these ships will provide “peripheral security” for police operations against suspected gang leaders and drug dealers in the Anacostia region in the southeastern part of the capital, but they will not monitor US citizens. Hegseth said federal law enforcement agents “must always be on National Guard boats” to “assist in arresting criminal suspects,” including those who may jump into rivers to evade law enforcement.