By Solomon Goins

By Solomon Goins (UJW)

Nicholas Humphrey got news that the National Guard had been deployed in Washington, D.C., while he was flying in from his home state last year to begin his first semester at American University.

“It was pretty scary,” Humphrey said. “I thought it was gonna be a lot more of a threat.” He was concerned about armed officials roaming due to what he’d seen in news reports about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and the shooting of Renee Good in Minnesota.

Humphrey’s fear of the troops, however, was not borne out by his experience with the Guard. When President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to the city nine months ago, he indicated they would protect residents from rampant crime. Humphrey recalled an experience he had with the National Guard while in Washington: “One of the first weeks we were out, we just talked to some of the guys.” The troops said they were just standing by the monuments.

Some community leaders and residents said they were indifferent to the National Guard’s presence, while others expressed a range of opinions about their impact on civilian safety and local crime. The Guard often patrols areas near metro stations, on the National Mall, and around monuments frequented by tourists.

During a recent morning rush-hour conversation near Median Hill Park, Emma Jones said she was shocked to hear about the military deployment. “I’m surprised. It didn’t feel necessary,” Jones said. “I still take the metro and the bus, but it changes how I feel.”

Some residents said they were apprehensive about the deployment and expressed skepticism about Trump’s memorandum, released on Aug. 11, 2025, which said there was a “solemn duty to protect law-abiding citizens from the destructive forces of criminal activity.”

Since then, D.C. residents have experienced federal troops patrolling city streets. Scott Michelman, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia, insisted that the National Guard is not actually promoting the interest and safety of D.C. residents.

“Because D.C. is not a state and the president is in control of the D.C. National Guard, the local residents do not have a say in what’s happening with this law enforcement force,” Michelman explained. “Local oversight of police is a critical check on abuses and makes sure that the police who are wielding state power in a community are responsible to that community.”

Ryan Van Slingerland disagrees. He is the student president of George Washington University’s chapter of the conservative organization Turning Point USA and claims that many students have the wrong idea about the National Guard. “I think that a lot of students have these misconceptions that [the National Guard] is here to hurt them or they’re here to make their lives difficult, but I know if anything, it’s the opposite,” he said.

In response to criticism claiming there is no need for the deployment, Sligerland said, “A lot of people will say there is no need for it because crime statistics are going down, but if crime is at, say, 20 percent and it goes down to 19 percent, it’s great that it’s going down, but 19 percent crime is still bad.”

A recent report by D.C. police said crime rates have been declining, including a 29 percent decrease in violent crime from 2024 to year-end 2025 data. However, it’s difficult to determine whether the decline reflects ongoing trends or is affected by the National Guard presence.

On May 1, Free D.C. and other advocacy groups gathered for the annual May Day protest march and aired a variety of grievances against the Trump administration.

One protester, Olivia Toro, who said she has lived in D.C. on and off for six years, criticized the military presence. “My dad has served in the military for 30 years, so in addition to being a citizen of D.C., I feel there’s nothing that’s happening here that warrants the National Guard’s presence, making us feel like we’re under martial law.”

Toro also voiced sympathy for the troops as individuals.

“I just feel bad for these young men and women who’ve signed up to serve their country, who are being sent here in opposition to their fellow citizens,” she said. “I definitely want them removed and doing something that’s more in line with what they signed up for.”

Martin Peña, another protester, said the National Guard deployment was “unbelievable.”

“They provide safety, but at the same time, the last couple of weeks, we’ve had so many shootings. You know, little kids dying in D.C., so are they really helping?”