Trump Administration Faces Lawsuit Over National Guard Deployment In Washington DC

Last Updated:September 05, 2025, 03:45 IST

The White House, however, maintains that the deployment falls squarely within the authority of the US President.

Public and political response to the deployment has been divided (X/@DeptofDefense)

The Trump administration is now facing legal action over its deployment of the National Guard in the US capital, reported the Associated Press. On Thursday, the District of Columbia, represented by elected Attorney General Brian Schwalb, filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the Guard in Washington, D.C.

In an appeal to a federal court, the District is seeking judicial intervention amid Trump’s broader plans to extend similar deployments to other cities facing rising crime rates. Schwalb argued in the lawsuit that the deployment, which currently involves more than 1,000 troops, represents an unlawful use of the military for domestic law enforcement purposes.

“No American jurisdiction should be involuntarily subjected to military occupation,” Schwalb wrote.

The White House, however, maintains that the deployment falls squarely within the authority of the US President. Press secretary Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s move, stating it was aimed at protecting federal assets and supporting law enforcement operations. “This lawsuit is nothing more than another attempt, at the detriment of D.C. residents and visitors, to undermine the President’s highly successful operations to stop violent crime in D.C.,” Jackson said.

President Trump has praised his decision to deploy the National Guard in the capital, claiming it has contributed to a reduction in crime. Despite strong opposition in several Democrat-led cities, Trump has expressed plans to introduce similar deployments in areas like Chicago and Baltimore, which he says are also battling significant criminal activity.

The National Guard was initially deployed without arms, but in August, the Trump administration authorised troops in Washington to carry weapons.

Public and political response to the deployment has been divided. While D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, has supported some of Trump’s claims that crime has decreased, critics and data analysts point out that crime had already been on a downward trend before the deployment.

Adding to the legal challenges, a federal judge in California ruled on Tuesday that Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles was illegal. However, that ruling does not apply to Washington, D.C., where the President exercises greater control over the National Guard compared to individual US states.

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