JD Vance Booed During National Guard Visit at Washington Union Station

Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, was booed and heckled by protesters during a visit to greet National Guard troops deployed in Washington, D.C., as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to restore public order. The officials faced chants of "Free DC!" and were criticized by demonstrators who opposed the federal takeover of the city's police force and increased law enforcement presence. Vance defended the deployment, citing concerns about safety at Union Station and claiming that crime statistics were underreported, supported by data from the Department of Justice and the FBI. Miller dismissed protesters as "stupid white hippies" and "communists," while Vance expressed skepticism toward polls showing opposition to the federal intervention in D.C. The visit highlighted tensions over the White House's declaration of a "Public Safety Emergency" and the activation of National Guard troops to combat crime and undocumented immigration in the capital. Despite the protests, the administration vowed to continue and potentially expand its federal control to ensure public safety.