Pentagon Arms All National Guard Troops in Washington, D.C.

In response to a recent fatal shooting near the White House, the Pentagon has authorized all National Guard members deployed in Washington, D.C., to carry live weapons and conduct joint patrols with the Metropolitan Police Department. Defense Department Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson confirmed the directive, stating, "I can confirm that everybody in D.C. is now armed, and a lot of our D.C. National Guardsmen are now also doing joint patrols with members of the police department here in D.C."

The decision follows the November 26 shooting near the Farragut West metro station, which resulted in the death of 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and critically injured 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. The suspect, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was subdued and taken into custody.

Wilson emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "Our mission set is critical. We are keeping American cities safe all across this country, and we are going to remain committed to that. These missions aren't going to stop in Chicago, in Los Angeles, in D.C."

The move to arm all 2,375 troops currently in the capital, with an additional 500 ordered last week, marks a significant shift in the rules of engagement for domestic military deployments. While all Army National Guard soldiers complete basic combat training, their ongoing weapons proficiency and tactical training vary depending on their military occupational specialty.

The Joint Task Force in D.C., overseeing the National Guard's deployment, stated, "Every service member is trained and qualified on their assigned weapon in accordance with Department of War standards."

The Trump administration has also initiated a review of immigration policies following the shooting, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services suspending the processing of immigration requests for Afghan nationals.

The National Guard's deployment in Washington has been ongoing since August, following the administration's declaration of a "crime emergency" in an executive order.