Pentagon confirms all National Guard troops in Washington DC are 'now armed'

WASHINGTON, DC: The Pentagon says all National Guard troops deployed in Washington, DC, are now "armed" with live weapons and are patrolling the city alongside local police.

The move follows last week’s tragic ambush near the White House that left one Guard member, Sarah Beckstrom,20, dead and another, Andrew Wolfe, 24, critically injured. It also prompted the Trump administration to rush hundreds more troops into the capital.

What did the Defense Department press secretary report?

Defense Department press secretary Kingsley Wilson told reporters, "I can confirm that everybody in DC is now armed." She continued, "And a lot of our DC national guardsmen are now also doing joint patrols with members of the police department here in DC."

Wilson said the Pentagon expanded the Guard’s role because of what he called an “urgent threat” to American cities. She stressed, "We are keeping American cities safe all across this country, and we are going to remain committed to that. These missions aren’t going to stop in Chicago, in Los Angeles, in DC."

Wilson concluded, “The National Guard is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners.”

Every national guard member is trained and qualified, says JTF

The National Guard has been deployed in Washington, DC, since August 2025, after the Trump administration issued an executive order declaring a “crime emergency.”

Although Wilson emphasized that “safety is, of course, top of mind,” the fast arming of all DC reservists for street-level policing raises questions about their training and readiness for civil law enforcement duties.

Arming all 2,375 troops in the capital, with 500 more on the way, represents a major change in how the military operates during domestic deployments.

While all National Guard soldiers receive basic combat training and learn to use standard weapons, their skill levels vary depending on their jobs. Many Guard units focus on support roles, which means carrying live weapons during civilian operations could increase the risk of escalation.

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in DC, which manages the National Guard’s deployment in the capital, told the Guardian that, "Every service member is trained and qualified on their assigned weapon in accordance with Department of War standards."

A JTF-DC spokesperson added, "National guard members supporting this mission have been armed with their assigned duty weapons since August 2025, in support of civil authorities and at the request of the lead federal agency."

The spokesperson added, "Their posture is consistent with their mission requirements, established rules for the use of force, and the training each guardsman receives to safely and professionally carry out their duties."