The red state push to join the DC occupation

President Donald Trump has made it clear that he hopes to export his unprecedented military occupation of Washington, D.C., to other Democrat-led cities across the country. But even as the administration prepares to expand its D.C.-incubated federal takeover of local law enforcement, several red states have already begun taking the MAGA initiative. This weekend, the Republican governors of Ohio, West Virginia and South Carolina announced plans to volunteer hundreds of their respective National Guard troops to the White House's D.C. deployment. Shortly thereafter, Mississippi and Louisiana followed suit, in a significant escalation of Trump's militarized law enforcement agenda.

'American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil'

Trump has "received praise from conservative allies" and earned "shows of support from GOP governors" for his occupation of the nation's capital, even as residents have chafed, said The Washington Post. These "new contributions" of troops from red states mark a "significant escalation of Trump's takeover of policing in the city," said Time. All three governors who announced troop deployments made a point to note they are "acting on requests from the Trump administration," said The Hill. The planned troop deployment will also be "funded by the federal government under Title 32," said South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster in a statement announcing the order on Saturday.

It's "unclear why additional troops are needed" in D.C., where members of the Guard have "played a limited role in the federal intervention," said NPR. That the administration would request new troops to aid in the D.C. operation suggests the White House sees a "need for additional manpower" even after Trump "personally played down the need for Washington to hire more police officers." Troops already stationed in D.C. have "drawn positive attention from civilians," the National Guard said in a statement released Sunday. Less so from city officials, including Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser. "American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican" said Bowser on X shortly after the trio of red state governors announced their troop contributions.

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While National Guard troops stationed in D.C. will not make arrests themselves, said Pentagon Spokesperson Kingsley Wilson last week, before the additional deployments were announced, they may nevertheless "temporarily limit the movement of an individual who has entered a restricted or secured area without permission."

'An opportunity' for Trump to 'play dictator'

Efforts to paint Washington D.C. as wholly free of crime and not in need of intervention are misguided, said Joe Scarborough on MSNBC. At the same time, "bringing National Guardsmen in from red states, in some areas that have higher crime per capita than Washington D.C.? Not the answer."

The deployment is "total abuse of power," a "manufactured emergency," and an "opportunity for Donald Trump to play dictator in Washington, D.C.," said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) on ABC's "The Week." Last week, Van Hollen joined other Democratic lawmakers for a "long-shot joint resolution" aimed at ending Trump's control of the D.C. police force, said Axios.