National Guard troops to remain in DC until 2029
National Guard troops to remain in DC until 2029
N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAYWed, July 15, 2026 at 2:41 PM UTC
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WASHINGTON − National Guard troops will remain in the nation's capital until Inauguration Day 2029, according to reports.
Officials from the Guard and the Pentagon confirmed plans to maintain the Guard's presence in Washington until the end of President Donald Trump's second term to multiple media outlets, including The Hill and NPR.
"The DoW remains committed supporting (sic) the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and our Federal law enforcement partners until law and order are fully restored in our Nation's Capital," the Pentagon said in a statement to 7News. "The D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission has been extended to Jan. 20, 2029, or until terminated by the President."
A spokesperson for the Pentagon referred USA TODAY to the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force. USA TODAY has reached out to the task force and the National Guard for comment.
The number of National Guard troops in Washington has grown significantly since Trump deployed 800 guardsmen on Aug. 11, 2025, after declaring a pubic safety emergency. Trump deployed hundreds more troops in November in the wake of an ambush attack on two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House that killed one and wounded the other.
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The administration announced a "summer surge" of federal law enforcement ahead of events celebrating America's 250th birthday. More than 5,000 troops from nearly two dozen states are present in Washington as of July 8.
The deployment has also sparked repeated protests from residents. Defense Secretary Pete Hegsethcalled protesters "ingrates" as he and other top Trump administration officials praised the Guard's work during a July 2 event.
The city's attorney general, Brian Schwalb, has also filed a lawsuit seeking to end the Guard's deployment. A judge ruled the deployment was likely unlawful in November, but an appeals court allowed troops to remain.
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National Guard troops to remain in DC until 2029
Source: “AOL Breaking”
