An American City, With Troops on Its Streets
Since the country’s founding, deployments of soldiers to U.S. soil have been exceedingly rare. But residents of Washington, D.C., are living in a new normal.
Since August of last year, military troops have been a common sight in Washington, D.C., as the city has entered its second year with federal soldiers patrolling its streets. President Trump initially ordered the National Guard to the capital following a carjacking incident and their presence has since been maintained, costing taxpayers over $1 billion.
The troops, under the control of the president, have been deployed to patrol the city and its public-transit system, with some occasionally assisting riders or checking abandoned backpacks. Nonetheless, many D.C. residents find the presence of the troops to be largely ineffective and, at times, intrusive. The National Guard's role in D.C. has faced criticism, with some arguing it could have been handled differently.
However, the troops have begun using an overdose-prevention drug, naloxone, administered 325 times by Guardsmen during their deployment.
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