Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has issued new guidance authorizing the National Guard to use military tactical vehicles, dozens of patrol cars, boat assets, and other equipment to support law enforcement operations in Washington.
The War Department confirmed the new guidance when asked about reports concerning a pair of Hegseth directives issued on Oct. 29 aimed at strengthening National Guard patrols in Washington. The new authorization comes as President Donald Trump’s deployment of thousands of National Guard members in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force has continued to face legal challenges.
“The Secretary of War has authorized the continued use of National Guard personnel and capabilities in support of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission,” a War Department official told The Epoch Times on Nov. 6.
“The October 29, 2026, guidance authorizes the use of up to 60 marked patrol cars, military tactical vehicles, up to 20 light towers and generators, and D.C. National Guard maritime boat assets in support of federal and local law enforcement operations.”
The Epoch Times reached out to the White House for additional comment, but was referred to the Department of War.
Trump deployed the National Guard to Washington in August 2025, saying that the city was “under siege from violent crime” and suggesting that Washington’s local government had “lost control of public order and safety.”
The Pentagon previously confirmed in July that the mission for which the National Guard was deployed to Washington had been extended until Jan. 20, 2029, or until terminated by the president. The Pentagon projected in August that the extended deployment could cost an additional $1.4 billion.
Prior to the mission’s extension, Hegseth credited National Guard members serving in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force for what he described as a “staggering” crime drop in Washington.
Metropolitan Police Department crime statistics from Jan. 1 to Nov. 6 show that homicides have dropped by 26 percent compared with the same period last year. Additionally, motor vehicle thefts have decreased by 40 percent, property crimes by 14 percent, and robberies by 2 percent.
While total crime is down 11 percent from last year, the number of assaults with a dangerous weapon has increased by 39 percent. Total violent crime has also increased by 12 percent from last year.
The president’s deployment of the National Guard in Washington has been met with criticism and legal pushback from Democrats.
In Nov. 2025, Judge Jia Cobb of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled against Trump’s National Guard deployment in Washington, saying that he overstepped his authority. However, the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit paused the ruling, allowing the troops to remain in Washington while the case is litigated.
A three-judge appeals panel heard arguments on Oct. 14 from both D.C. government and Trump administration attorneys regarding the legality of the deployment.
U.S. government attorney Eric McArthur argued that Trump has authority to deploy the National Guard under the 1889 D.C. Militia Code. He told the court that the National Guard deployment has been “a striking success, with even the D.C. mayor acknowledging the dramatic decrease in violent crime since the deployments began.”
Meanwhile, D.C. attorney Mitchell Reich argued that the president is only authorized to deploy the National Guard under limited circumstances under the Militia Code.
On Nov. 5, Brooke Pinto, a Democratic D.C. council member and chair of the public safety committee, called on newly elected Democratic lawmakers to recall National Guard troops from Washington following the midterm elections.
“I am very hopeful and optimistic that we now have the partners we need at the state and congressional level to push back and demand that this unnecessary, harmful, and unlawful military presence be removed from the district,” she said.
Pinto specifically urged the Democratic governors-elect in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas to withdraw their National Guard troops after they take office. The councilwoman noted that the five states currently have a total of 628 troops in Washington.
“We are calling on them to withdraw their troops immediately, and it’s something they can do [on] their first day in office, she said.
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