Trump keeps 4,600 National Guard troops in D.C. through 2029
Why it matters: The extension carries an estimated $1.4 billion cost and deepens a fight over federal control of the capital.
A year after President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, the National Guard mission in the city has been extended through January 2029, leaving more than 4,600 troops from D.C. and 24 states and territories on the streets as of Aug. 4. The Defense Department estimates the extension will cost about $1.4 billion. Troops have backed arrest operations and patrolled tourist areas, Metro stations and neighborhoods, becoming a regular presence across the capital. Federal figures credit the broader surge with more than 13,000 arrests, while city police data show overall crime down 20% and homicides down 32% from the same period in 2025. Critics, including the ACLU of the District of Columbia, argue the long-running deployment erodes the city’s autonomy and lacks a clear emergency basis.