The military personnel deployed to support the beautification efforts of Washington, D.C., led by U.S. President Donald Trump, are expected to increase.
On the 16th (local time), Patrick Morrisey, the governor of West Virginia, stated via X (formerly Twitter) that "in response to a request from the Trump administration, we plan to deploy 300 to 400 skilled National Guard members."
Previously, on the 11th, President Trump held a press conference at the White House regarding crime prevention measures in Washington, D.C., announcing plans to place the city police department under direct federal control and deploy the National Guard to establish public safety.
Accordingly, 800 National Guard members affiliated with Washington, D.C., are currently patrolling the city and assisting in the removal of homeless encampments. If Governor Morrisey's plan is implemented, the military personnel is expected to exceed 1,000.
Washington, D.C., which houses the White House, federal government agencies, and the U.S. Congress, is a special administrative region that is not legally part of any state, and the federal government and the president possess certain powers, including legislative and National Guard control. However, the president's attempt to fully seize police powers through such authority is considered highly unusual.