GOP-led Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia to send National Guard troops to D.C.

The Republican governors of Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia said they are sending National Guard troops to the District in support of President Trump’s mission to drive down crime and disorder in the nation’s capital.

The Guardsmen, some of whom will be armed, include 150 troops from Ohio, 200 from South Carolina and 300 to 400 from West Virginia in the latest move to boost the enforcement footprint during Mr. Trump’s federal takeover of D.C. policing.

“At the request of the Trump administration, I have directed the West Virginia National Guard to support the President’s initiative to make D.C. safe and beautiful,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey posted Saturday on X. “We are deploying 300-400 skilled personnel to the nation’s capital, reflecting our commitment to a strong and secure America.”

The White House said the troops will join the some 800 D.C. National Guard members already posted throughout the city to “protect federal assets, create a safe environment for law enforcement officials to carry out their duties when required, and provide a visible presence to deter crime.”

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said his deployment of 200 guardsmen came at the request of the Pentagon, although they would be ordered to return home if a hurricane or other natural disaster struck the Palmetto State.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the Army requested the 150 troops in order to provide security at Union Station and other national landmarks.

The troops from the three states are expected to arrive in the coming days.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, spoke out against the next round of troop deployments with a social media post saying “American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican.”

Out on the streets, federal agents from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations have racked up more than 240 arrests since Mr. Trump launched the takeover Aug. 7.

The White House said 52 people were taken into custody Friday night on charges of armed robbery, drug distribution and theft warrants. Another 28 of those taken into custody were on immigration-related charges.

Officials said 25 homeless encampments were also cleared Friday throughout the city, with the number of camp clearings now exceeding 100 since the federal operation began this month.

Ms. Bowser and the D.C. Council, which is largely controlled by Democrats, have pushed back on Mr. Trump’s framing of crime in the city by saying violence is at a 30-year low in the District.

But Mr. Trump called those statistics unreliable, and mentioned a Metropolitan Police Department higher-up who is being investigated for manipulating data to make the District appear safer.