Two more Republican governors are surging National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., in support of President Donald Trump‘s crackdown on violent crime in the capital.
On Sunday night, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine both announced their respective deployment of troops to the capital. Those deployments include 200 troops from South Carolina and an additional 150 from Ohio.
In both of their statements, McMaster and DeWine said the troops would be there for added support as Trump looks to tackle violent crime in Washington.
The new deployments means three Republican governors have now sent National Guard troops to Washington since Trump declared a “crime emergency” earlier this week, taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department and mobilizing the D.C. National Guard.
Earlier Sunday, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that 300 to 400 National Guard troops from his state would be sent to Washington, whose primary role would be to provide “mission-essential equipment and specialized training.”
The total number of National Guard members set to be in the U.S. capital is now well over 1,000. Trump initially deployed around 800 troops from the D.C. National Guard, who have been assisting with enforcement operations alongside federal officers.
Despite the increased National Guard presence, the troops working patrols thus far have not made arrests and are unarmed, with weapons remaining in the D.C. armory.
Recent reporting has indicated that may be changing.
WEST VIRGINIA SENDING NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO DC AS PART OF TRUMP’S CRIME CRACKDOWN
A report from the Wall Street Journal revealed that National Guard troops are being told to expect an order to carry weapons, citing people familiar with the matter.
However, an official from the Defense Department told the outlet that such an order has yet to be given.
