More National Guard troops are headed to DC, and are prepared to carry weapons

More National Guard troops are heading to Washington, DC soon and they are preparing to start carrying weapons in the coming days, officials say, a major shift that comes days after President Trump said he was deploying them to “take back” the capital from what he described as violent criminals.

“The National Guard is not making arrests at this time – they may be armed, consistent with their mission and training, to protect federal assets, provide a safe environment for law enforcement officers to make arrests, and deter violent crime with a visible law enforcement presence,” a White House official said. 

A National Guard spokesperson reiterated that deployed Guard members “may be armed consistent with their mission and training,” adding that “their presence is focused on supporting civil authorities and ensuring the safety of the community they serve.”

A Defense Department official told CBS News Thursday that the deployed National Guard members would not be armed at the request of law enforcement partners. The official also said they would not have weapons in their vehicles.

“They are equipped with personal protective equipment to include body armor; weapons are available if needed but will remain in the armory,” the US Army said in a statement earlier this week. 

The President deployed the National Guard to D.C. on Monday. Citing violent crime and homelessness, Mr. Trump declared a public safety emergency and placed the city’s Metropolitan Police Department under federal control. The President also deployed 800 National Guard members to the city.

“I’m deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order, and public safety in Washington, DC, and they’re going to be allowed to do their job properly,” President Trump said during a news conference on Monday.

On Saturday, the Republican governors of West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio announced they would be deploying several hundred of their state’s National Guard members to DC as well at the request of the Trump administration.