Colombia Earthquake Kills 100; National Guard Marks One Year in DC

One year after President Donald Trump ordered the National Guard into Washington, D.C., to crack down on crime, approximately 9,700 troops from more than 20 states and territories have rotated through the nation’s capital. According to Brig. Gen. Leland Blanchard II, the interim commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, the deployment has led to 788 medical assists, the reunification of 43 lost children with their families, 479 instances of supporting local law enforcement, and 262 interventions in altercations before they escalated.

A Rapid Expansion From the White House to Transit Hubs

The mission originated on Aug. 11 of last year, when Trump called for a federal crackdown and initially ordered 800 D.C. National Guard troops into the city during a White House news conference. The deployment swiftly expanded.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the troops to carry weapons, which Blanchard noted are used strictly when necessary to preserve human life. Alongside the Guard, federal agencies including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ramped up their presence across transit hubs like Union Station, tourist corridors, federal buildings, monuments, and parks.

Mounting Costs Nearing $700 Million With Billions Projected

Financial disclosures and budget projections underscore the mounting costs of the federalized mission. In January, the Congressional Budget Office projected that the D.C. deployments cost roughly $55 million per month. That estimate brings the cumulative expenditure from August 2025 through September of this year to more than $700 million.

Looking ahead, Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst III told Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., that projected costs from October 2026 through January 2029—marking the end of Trump’s term—could reach approximately $1.43 billion.

Contrasting Grass-Cutting Duties With Pre-Existing Crime Declines

While officials point to visible changes in public spaces, the operational strategy has faced scrutiny regarding resource allocation. Portions of the Guard’s daily duties have involved landscaping tasks, such as cutting grass near the East Potomac Park golf center, and picking up debris around the Washington Monument.

Meanwhile, critics note that violent crime rates were already trending downward prior to the deployment, with D.C. police reporting a 26% decrease in violent offenses compared to the prior year, and the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office noting that 2024 violent crime rates had reached a 30-year low.

Tragic Casualties and the Ongoing Defense of the Mission

The deployment has also brought severe operational risks. On the day before Thanksgiving, a planned and targeted attack near the Farragut West Metro station left West Virginia National Guard members wounded. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom died of her injuries, while Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe recovered. Federal officials and law enforcement identified the suspect as an Afghan national.

Photo: stripes.com

Despite such incidents, military leadership continues to defend the visible footprint of the mission, maintaining that the presence has restored a sense of security to areas where visitors and residents previously hesitated to travel.