Washington DC,August 23(HS):

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard troops deployed in Washington DC to be armed, escalating President Donald Trump’s crime crackdown in the capital.

The move comes just weeks after Trump took control of the city’s police force and stationed about 2,000 Guard personnel across key sites, including the National Mall and Union Station. Initially, the Pentagon had said the troops would remain unarmed.

Trump has declared the mission a “success,” claiming it has brought “total safety” to Washington. He has also suggested extending the deployment to cities like Chicago, while hinting he may declare a national emergency to keep forces in the capital beyond the current 30-day deadline.

The Pentagon said the decision to arm service members is “consistent with their mission and training,” though it remains unclear if their role—so far limited to patrols and not active policing—will change.

Local officials, led by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, have not weighed in on the new order but have repeatedly argued that crime rates were already falling. A Washington Post–Schar School poll found nearly 80% of residents oppose both the troop deployment and the federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson preemptively rejected any similar plan for his city, denouncing Trump’s strategy as “uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound.”

Despite resistance, the Trump administration insists its operation is delivering results. Attorney General Pam Bondi said more than 700 arrests and nearly 100 illegal firearm seizures have been made in Washington since the mission began, as Republican-led states continue sending reinforcements.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar