A Calm Evening Interrupted by Military Vehicles
As the golden light of sunset bathed the Washington Monument on Tuesday evening, the usual rhythm of the capital was unfolding — joggers keeping pace to the beat in their headphones, couples strolling with their dogs. Then, breaking into the scene, came five military vehicles carrying around a dozen National Guard soldiers, their arrival signaling the first visible stage of President Donald Trump’s latest law-and-order campaign.
From Apocalyptic Rhetoric to Modest Deployment
Just a day earlier, Trump had painted Washington as a “crime-infested wasteland,” promising a sweeping federal crackdown. Yet the reality on the ground felt more restrained — almost casual. Some soldiers were seen posing for photos with curious passersby, their relaxed demeanor a far cry from the dark imagery invoked by the president. Within two hours, the troops rolled out, leaving the monument’s lawn to the evening walkers once again.
The Mission, According to Those on the Ground
“We just did a presence patrol to be amongst the people, to be seen,” Master Sgt. Cory Boroff explained beside a Humvee, summing up the evening’s operation. “Of the people, for the people in D.C.,” he added, though he admitted he didn’t yet know the unit’s next destination.
A Federal Campaign in Its Infancy
Bridging Federal and Local Efforts
Earlier Tuesday, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Police Chief Pamela A. Smith met with Attorney General Pam Bondi and administration officials. While Bowser stressed the need for the federal presence to be “well used” toward lowering crime, Bondi described the meeting as “productive” and pledged close coordination between the Justice Department and local law enforcement to “make Washington, D.C. safe again.”
