Hegseth Authorizes Military Vehicles and Boats for D.C. Guard Deployment

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth authorized National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., to operate boats, marked police cars, and military vehicles in support of local law enforcement. The Pentagon confirmed the deployment on Thursday after POLITICO obtained a memo detailing the new equipment assignments.

The expansion allows Guard members to drive through city streets in vehicles typically reserved for combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. While these troops may move through traffic, the memo specifies that they cannot pursue suspects or make arrests. The additional security presence will remain active through the end of the year.

Boats assigned to the mission will provide perimeter security in Anacostia, a neighborhood in the city's southeast. Police are using this support to target suspected gang leaders and drug traffickers in that area. The memo did not provide a specific reason for the timing of the expansion, though it reiterated President Donald Trump's mission to combat a crime emergency in the capital.

Trump first declared a crime emergency in August 2025, which led to the initial deployment of National Guard troops to Washington. Over the past 16 months, the administration has extended the mission multiple times. The current authorization is scheduled to continue through Inauguration Day in 2029.

A report released by the Cato Institute in October examined the impact of the Guard's presence on local crime. The study found that robberies and theft declined following the deployment. However, homicides remained unchanged, and assaults with dangerous weapons saw a slight increase.