Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized National Guardsmen mobilized in Washington D.C. to carry “service-issued weapons,” a defense official said on Friday, though the Pentagon has not specified the specific weapons the soldiers will be armed with.
The National Guardsman in Washington, D.C. “will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training,” the defense official said in a statement.
The Pentagon did not offer specifics to questions from Task & Purpose on whether soldiers will be issued M4s or the service’s newly adopted M7 rifle, or if the firearms would be pistols like the M17 or M18.
No information was immediately available about what prompted the move or exactly when the National Guard troops will begin carrying their weapons.
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“The D.C. National Guard remains committed to safeguarding the District of Columbia and serving those who live, work, and visit the District,” the statement said.
A member of the District of Columbia National Guard, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Task & Purpose that the move to arm Guardsmen was unnecessary.
“Us being out there is not sending a message other than clear provocation to our own populace,” the National Guard member said.
President Donald Trump announced on Aug. 11 that he had ordered 800 troops with the District of Columbia National Guard to deploy to the nation’s capital after declaring on social media the federal city would be “LIBERATED.” Trump has portrayed criminality in Washington, D.C. as widespread but violent crime in the district is at a 30-year low and dropped 35% year-over-year from 2023 to 2024, according to the Justice Department.
Since then, more than 2,000 National Guardsmen from the District of Columbia and six states have been activated as part of the operation.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
