Vice President Vance Visits DC National Guard Amid Protests

President Donald Trump has deployed hundreds of National Guard troops, including forces from multiple Republican-led states, to Washington, D.C., as part of a campaign to crack down on crime in the city, despite official statistics showing a decline in violent offenses. Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller visited the troops stationed at Union Station, where they were met with protests chanting "Free DC" and expressing opposition to the military presence in the city. Vance dismissed the protesters as "crazy" and argued that the deployment was necessary to address what he described as lawlessness, homelessness, and underreported crime in Washington. Supporters applauded the officials and troops, while critics accused the administration of using the military presence symbolically to distract from political issues and questioned the choice of deployment locations. Trump also attempted to take control of the local police department, facing legal challenges that kept local leadership in place. The National Guard and federal forces continue to support law enforcement partners to safeguard property and maintain government functions amid ongoing tensions between differing perspectives on public safety and governance in the capital.