West Virginia sends hundreds of National Guard members to Washington at Trump team’s request
Aug 16, 2025, 11:02 AM | Updated: 7:42 pm
FILE - West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey speaks at the state capitol in Charleston, W.Va., Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Jackson, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Chris Jackson, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — West Virginia is sending 300 to 400 members of its National Guard to the nation’s capital to assist in the Trump’s administration’s takeover of the city’s police department.
The move by a nearby state comes as hundreds of District of Columbia National Guard were activated this week to back up local law enforcement in what the Republican administration calls an effort to crack down on crime and homelessness in the District of Columbia.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey, R-W.Va., said in a post Saturday on X that he was deploying “300-400 skilled personnel” from the West Virginia National Guard to support Trump’s “initiative to make D.C. safe and beautiful.”
Morrissey said the step reflects “our commitment to a strong and secure America.”
