Published Jun 11, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT
A study examined the impact of the National Guard in the District of Columbia, finding that it's had more impact on lesser crimes.
A new study finds that the federal government's deployment of U.S. National Guard soldiers into Washington D.C. heavily reduced property crimes but had no real impact on murders and violent crime. Thousands of National Guardsmen from across the country have been in the nation's capital since August 2025, following orders from President Donald Trump to combat what he described as a crime problem in the District of Columbia. About two months into the deployment, a Joint Task Force (JTF) D.C. told Military.com that the Guard is "uniquely qualified" due to strong local ties, disciplined training, and the ability to integrate seamlessly with law enforcement agencies. The extended deployment, which initially included roughly 2,500 troops, has remained ongoing and reports indicate that the number could as much as double in the days and weeks ahead as multiple major events are planned in the region to commemorate the nation's 250th anniversary. Whether the presence of such troops is making a pronounced difference in Washington depends on who you ask. The Trump administration, including the president, and its supporters have endorsed such efforts. On the legal side, the Campaign Legal Center filed an amicus brief in late May on behalf of 114 members of Congress who support litigation challenging the administration’s deployment. On the criminal side, a recent study by the nonpartisan think tank Niskanen Center found that the troops' deployment contributed to a 24% decrease in property crimes in D.C., saying such crime was "concentrated almost entirely in opportunistic property crimes" while adding that the Guard was not a substitute for Metropolitan Police (MPD) due to having the inability to arrest or operate independently.
