Six Red States to Send National Guard Troops to DC

Six Red States to Send National Guard Troops to DC
Above: National Guard troops on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 18, 2025. Image copyright: Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Democratic narrative

This massive military deployment to D.C. amounts to political theater rather than genuine crime fighting, with troops mostly standing near tourist sites while FBI data shows dozens of the cities in deploying states with higher violent crime rates than the capital. The operation appears designed to intimidate a city that voted heavily against Trump rather than address real public safety concerns, especially given that D.C. violent crime has dropped 26% to a 30-year low.

Republican narrative

The federal takeover of D.C. is necessary to restore law and order to America's capital city. Crime has spiraled out of control in the district, making it one of the most dangerous places in the nation and threatening federal operations. Democrat claims of historically low crime rates are undermined by police misconduct, with a D.C. commander removed over misleading crime stats. The deployment of National Guard troops from multiple states demonstrates strong Republican leadership stepping up to support public safety.

Metaculus Prediction


Public Figures


The Controversies



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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.15.0

© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.15.0