Army Secretary defends National Guard deployment for D.C. crime fight

Exclusive: Army secretary Dan Driskall Washington defended the deployment of National Guard soldiers at Washington, DC to help deal with violent crime, emphasizing the soldiers being “thrilled” to support their own communities.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Driskl stated that the DC guard was “made aimed at this type of mission” and praised the currently 2,000 soldiers-including 800 from DC and 1,200 from six other states. While some critics have warned of a “slippery slope” towards military policing, the driskol dismissed those concerns as “flawless”.

“We are the wealthiest nations in the history of the world, and our capital reflects the lack of standard to reflect this high-violence that I think you will find in most other big cities around the world, a kind of tragic,” Driskol said. “Personal guard members who have talked to members are thrilled to be on this mission.”

The Trump administration has insisted that the guard mission is working to support the local and federal law enforcement agencies, which began on 7 August to crack down on the DC crime. This week, the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that some guards would be authorized to carry arms while operating their missions across the city.

Some National Guard soldiers are now armed in Washington, DC

City leaders have credited the guards to help the police forces pressurize the police forces, although there are questions about the scope of the mission and how long the soldiers will stay on the streets. Citizens advocate freedom, meanwhile, the purpose risks argue that normalizing the use of military forces in civil policing. They warns that the example can expand beyond the capital and create permanent tension between communities and uniformed soldiers.

Driskol said, “Most reporting on slippery slope around it is flawed and misunderstand the real value that the President and the Defense Secretary DC and our nation are now providing it,” Driskl said.

The White House has suggested that the army may soon deploy guards in other cities like Chicago and Baltimore.

The vans say that the National Guard is busting ‘A-‘ in Washington, floats the mission extension

The National Guard of the Army has historically been called during the moments of civil unrest or natural disasters, but rarely for long -term crime suppression. The debate on the DC Mission underlines the dual responsibilities of the guard – the service of the two state governors and the federal government in national defense under domestic emergency situations.

The Biden administration had earlier trusted the guards a lot during the Kovid -19 epidemic and the capital riot after 6 January, when thousands of soldiers were mobilized to secure the city.

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Driskl pushed back on concerns. The deployment can reduce the readiness of the guard to deploy abroad if needed. “These are soldiers who live here,” he said. “Their families are here. They look at the effects of crime in their neighborhood, and they are proud to be part of restoring security in the country’s capital.”

For drisk, the mission shows what he says practical use of force. “They are contributing every day, and DC people are safe for it,” he said.