Hegseth says DC National Guard will not be involved in law enforcement functions but he’ll ‘have their back’ if they need to ‘temporarily detain’ criminals 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday detailed when Washington, DC residents can expect to see National Guard troops patrolling the nation’s capital and what they’ll be allowed to do to combat crime in the city. 

The Pentagon chief said Guardsmen from DC and “other states” will be deployed to the district “this week and in coming weeks” and act as “force multipliers” for local and federal law enforcement, in an interview on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle.” 

“Under Title 32, which is the authorization they’ll be using, they have broad latitude, but they’re not going to be involved in law enforcement functions,” Hegseth continued, likening the military’s role in DC to the June deployment of National Guard and US Marine service members to Los Angeles to protect federal law enforcement from protesters during immigration raids. 

“They will be standing right alongside our federal agents, like they were in Los Angeles. They’re going to be proactive. If you take an action or a shot at them, there will be a consequence,” he said. 

When asked by host Laura Ingraham what National Guard troops will do if they see a crime in progress, Hegseth responded, “They can come alongside and assist law enforcement.” 

“What if law enforcement isn’t on that corner?” Ingraham pressed. 

“I will have their back to ensure they can take the necessary action to protect citizens of DC and to protect themselves,” the defense secretary said.  

“There’s no rogue law enforcement going on from the National Guard,” Hegseth insisted. “But there’s also the application of common sense.” 

“We’re not going to have the National Guard just sitting there … seeing a crime committed [and] not do something about it.”

“You can help somebody interdict, temporarily detain, like we did in Los Angeles, and hand over to law enforcement those types of things,” he continued. “The National Guard can be trained to do that.” 

President Trump activated 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marine service members to California in June amid violent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles. 

By July 1, nearly all of the National Guard members and Marines had been released, with around 300 still in the city.

Hegseth did not say how many Guardsmen would be activated in DC, or how long they will patrol the city.  

“I would call this ‘conditions-based,’” he said. “I would say it’s a situation where we’re here to support law enforcement, and the more we can free them up to do their job, the more effective they can be.” 

“I don’t know – weeks, months? What will it take? That’s the president’s call, but we’re going to be there for him to execute as swiftly as possible.” 

The president has direct control over DC’s National Guard, unlike every other unit, which is under the authority of state governors.

Trump signed an executive order Monday mobilizing the DC National Guard as part of an effort aimed at “restoring law and order in the District of Columbia.”

“Washington, DC, should be one of the safest, cleanest and most beautiful cities anywhere in the world,” Trump said of his plans, “and we’re going to make it that.”