Soldiers in the US capital: Vance visits National Guard – Protests in Washington

US Vice President JD Vance and Minister of Defense Pete Hegseth visited National Gardists stationed in Washington. The two Republicans and other government representatives showed themselves at the Union Station Central Station with soldiers who are in use there by President Donald Trump, among other things, and posed with them in a fast restorer.

Vance praised the emergency services, who, according to his representation, would have caused a significant decline in crime within a few days. In the meantime, opponents of the measures loudly expressed their displeasure and accompanied the visit with boos.

In the past few days, soldiers and other emergency services from federal authorities have increasingly present in the cityscape of Washington. Demonstrating met with banners and speech choirs, videos on social networks show sometimes heated scenes.

Critics accuse the Trump government with which, from their point of view, martial presence only demonstrates strength and thus want to distract from the republican’s domestic problems. At the same time, there are voices that advocate a harder approach, but criticize that the soldiers are used primarily in symbolic places such as the National Mall – and not where crime is statistically highest.

Trump had decree last week that the police in the capital district were initially subordinate to Justice Minister Pam Bondi. However, their attempt to put the head of the US drug authority Dea at the top of the police failed legally – chief of police Pamela Smith remained in office. At the same time, Trump ordered the use of hundreds of national guards in Washington. Several Republican-managed US states also want to send national wardraps to the capital in order to support the operation.

Officially, Trump justifies the procedure with supposedly sailing crime and neglect of public space – although crime statistics do not confirm his claim. The focus of the law enforcement agencies also focuses on migrants who may be in the country without a residence permit, as well as homeless people on the streets and squares of the city.

The national guard belonging to the US army was often active in the capital. The states usually have control over this military reserve unit. In special locations – for example in the case of natural disasters, unrest and emergencies inside – the president can put them under federal command. In the special case of the US capital, which is not a separate state, the national guard is directly subject to the president.