For the first time in years, some National Guard troops are carrying weapons while patrolling the streets of Washington DC – www.naijnaira.com reports.
According to Euronews, members of the South Carolina Guard were spotted with holstered handguns at Union Station over the weekend.
President Donald Trump first ordered 800 troops from the DC National Guard, later receiving reinforcements from six Republican-led states.
The directive to arm the units came last week from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who authorized both handguns and rifles for patrol duty.
Officials stressed that weapons should only be used “as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.”
Some Guard members working in administrative and transport roles are expected to remain unarmed.
The deployment has drawn protests in Washington, with critics questioning the necessity of armed soldiers in a civilian city.
Trump signaled his intent to expand the crackdown to Democratic-led cities, naming Chicago and New York as possible next steps.
Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson rejected the idea, declaring, “We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant,” while vowing legal action against any deployment.
Article updated 4 days ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
