The governors of Ohio and South Carolina announced Saturday that they will jointly send about 350 more troops to Washington, D.C., adding to the up to 400 offered by West Virginia, to bolster President Donald Trump’s campaign against crime in the capital.
Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio and Henry McMaster of South Carolina each issued statements quantifying the number of their National Guard troops they will send to the District of Columbia at 150 and 200, respectively, and said they agree with Trump’s security objectives.
A few hours ago, Governor Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia also vowed to “support President Trump in his effort to bring pride and beauty back to our nation’s capital” and revealed that he would send 300 to 400 of his National Guard troops.
These nearly 800 total additional troops in the District of Columbia, drawn from the three Republican states, will double the troops already deployed by the National Guard in the capital.
Last Monday, Trump declared a “Public Safety Emergency” and took control of the Washington D.C. Police, after which he activated some 800 National Guard troops as part of his efforts to “restore law and order” under a provision of the Home Rule Act.
Since then, the city has seen an exponential increase in the presence of agents from federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who have made dozens of arrests for weapons possession and other crimes, along with arrests of undocumented immigrants, according to the White House.
Washington authorities yesterday sued the Trump administration over what they consider a “hostile takeover” of the capital’s police force by the federal government, which they claim has abused its authority under the Home Rule Act that has regulated the District’s self-governance since 1973, EFE reported.
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