The National Guard has deployed over 2,000 troops to Washington, D.C., under President Trump’s 'Safe and Beautiful' initiative; a federal judge ruled the deployment unlawful on November 20 but stayed the order for 21 days. Residents report mixed effects on crime while checkpoints and stops have disrupted daily life. Photographs show Guard members performing municipal chores—leaf blowing, sweeping and using hoses—creating a striking visual contrast with their arms and training. The operation costs roughly $1–1.5 million per day; after a Thanksgiving ambush that killed Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, the administration pledged 500 more troops.
Photos: What Is the National Guard Doing in Washington, D.C.? Inside the 'Safe and Beautiful' Deployment
Photos: What Is the National Guard Doing in D.C.?
Since August 11, President Donald Trump’s 'Safe and Beautiful' initiative has deployed more than 2,000 National Guard personnel to Washington, D.C., creating a highly visible federal presence intended to deter crime and assert federal control. On November 20 a U.S. district court judge declared the deployment unlawful but stayed the injunction for 21 days; the administration's lawyers have argued that presidential authority over Guard deployments is 'unreviewable'.
On the Ground
Residents and local officials remain divided over whether the Guard has had any measurable effect on crime. What is clear—and widely reported—are the disruptions caused by vehicle checkpoints, frequent stops, and a heightened security posture that has changed daily life for many Washingtonians.
What the Photos Show
Published images capture uniformed, armed service members performing municipal chores across the city: sweeping sidewalks, operating leaf blowers, and handling hoses. The contrast between heavy arms and routine civic tasks has become a focal point for critics, who call these assignments mismatched to military training and equipment.
Cost, Casualties, and Consequences
The operation is estimated to cost taxpayers between $1 million and $1.5 million per day. Over Thanksgiving weekend a close-range ambush near Farragut Square killed 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. In response, the administration pledged an additional 500 Guard members—an escalation that has deepened debate over the necessity, logic, and effectiveness of deploying the National Guard in American cities.
Bottom line: The deployment raises legal, financial, and civic questions about the appropriate role of the National Guard, the balance between public safety and civil liberties, and how cities should manage security without undermining local authority.
Reporting and images continue to shape public perception as courts, local officials, and the federal government consider next steps.
Photo: A National Guard member clears leaves on August 28, 2025, at McPherson Square; Cybele Mayes-Osterman
Photo: Air National Guard members clear leaves and debris from McPherson Square, August 28, 2025; Andrew Leyden/Getty
Photo: D.C. National Guard members clean up the park around Fort Stevens Recreation Center, October 11, 2025; Associated Press/Gary Fields
Photo: Army Col. Christopher York (left), commander of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, removes trash and debris along the Tidal Basin on August 25, 2025; Air Force Master Sgt. Amber Monio/National Guard Bureau
Photo: A U.S. airman with the National Guard uses a pressure washer to clean at the Washington Monument, September 8, 2025; TSgt. Andrew Enriquez/U.S Air Force Photo/Alamy Live News
Photo: A U.S. soldier with the National Guard dries marble benches at the Washington Monument, September 8, 2025; TSgt. Andrew Enriquez/U.S Air Force Photo/Alamy Live News
Photo: A National Park Service worker helps a U.S. Airman with the National Guard use a pressure washer to clean marble benches at the Washington Monument, September 8, 2025; TSgt. Andrew Enriquez/U.S Air Force Photo/Alamy Live News
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