West Virginia Governor Deploys Hundreds Of National Guard Troops To Washington

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Saturday that he is deploying members of nan West Virginia National Guard to Washington, D.C., successful support of nan Trump administration’s efforts to ramp up a subject beingness successful nan nation’s capital.

Morrisey’s agency said that nan National Guard mobilization will see 300-400 troops, positive “mission-essential equipment” and “specialized training.”

“West Virginia is proud to guidelines pinch President Trump successful his effort to reconstruct pridefulness and beauty to our nation’s capital,” Morrisey, a Republican, said successful a statement. “The men and women of our National Guard correspond nan champion of our state, and this ngo reflects our shared committedness to a beardown and unafraid America.”

The connection besides said Morrisey’s determination to deploy his state’s National Guard came aft a petition from nan Trump management and that nan troops would beryllium operating nether nan bid of West Virginia’s adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Jim Seward.

The White House did not instantly respond to questions from NBC News astir erstwhile aliases really nan Trump management requested this. Morrisey’s agency did not instantly respond to further questions astir really agelong nan West Virginia National Guard would beryllium deployed successful nan capital.

The governor’s move comes conscionable days aft President Donald Trump announced that he was deploying 800 members of nan National Guard to D.C. and directing national rule enforcement agents to assistance section constabulary pinch operating and executing warrants successful nan city.

“When you locomotion down nan street, you’re going to spot constabulary aliases you’re going to spot FBI agents,” Trump told reporters connected Monday. “We’re going to person a batch of agents connected nan street. You’re going to person a batch of, fundamentally military. And we will bring successful nan subject if it’s needed.”

Trump’s stated purpose of cracking down connected crime successful Washington comes arsenic crime rates successful nan metropolis are astatine their lowest levels successful decades.

Washington residents almost instantly began to announcement an summation successful rule enforcement connected nan streets, as section constabulary and national rule enforcement group up checkpoints successful neighborhoods crossed nan city.

Residents and visitors besides noticed nan accrued beingness of subject and rule enforcement astir tourist-heavy areas like Union Station and nan National Mall.

Initially, Attorney General Pam Bondi sought to return complete power of nan Metropolitan Police Department, but backed down aft nan metropolis sued nan Trump administration. Chief Pamela Smith remains successful day-to-day power of nan city’s constabulary force.

Democrats person slammed nan president’s decision, pinch House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries calling nan move earlier this week “illegitimate” and an “unjustified powerfulness grab.”