DC residents debate safety gains a year into Trump’s Guard deployment

What the report says

A year after President Donald Trump sent thousands of National Guard troops to Washington, DC, residents, officials and analysts remain divided over whether the deployment has improved safety. Al Jazeera reports that the mission began in August 2025 under Trump’s “Safe and Beautiful Task Force” after he declared a crime emergency in the capital. Since then, soldiers have been visible in parts of the city, especially around tourist and government areas such as the National Mall, Union Station and Dupont Circle.

Some DC residents told Al Jazeera they feel the troops have made public spaces calmer, while others argued the deployment is unnecessary and better suited to policing or social services. Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb have questioned the legality of using the Guard for law-enforcement-style duties, and a lawsuit over the deployment is still working through the courts. Civil liberties groups and Senate Democrats have also warned that the mission could weaken public trust, politicize the military and raise privacy concerns because of surveillance tools used in the operation.

The article says the effect on crime remains disputed. Trump has claimed a major drop in crime, but a Niskanen Center report cited by Al Jazeera found no significant impact on violent crime, though some property crimes declined. As the deployment neared its one-year mark, federal officials also expanded troop presence for the city’s 250th-anniversary events. Al Jazeera notes that the Pentagon has said the Guard could remain in DC through the end of Trump’s term, with future costs estimated in the billions.