National Guard troops will remain in Washington, D.C., through December 31, 2026, in the third extension of the deployment first ordered by President Donald Trump in August to address crime. The mission — originally set to expire in November 2025 and later extended to February 2026 — will continue armed patrols and community support work. Joint Task Force–DC reports 2,673 personnel assigned, including 714 from the D.C. Guard and 1,959 from 11 Republican-led states. The deployment drew renewed attention after a November shooting that killed Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and injured Guardsman Andrew Wolfe; the accused has pleaded not guilty.
National Guard Deployment In Washington Extended Through Dec. 31, 2026
National Guard troops will remain deployed in Washington, D.C., through December 31, 2026, marking the third extension of the force's mission in the capital.
President Donald Trump first ordered the Guard into Washington in August as part of a federal intervention aimed at addressing rising crime. The deployment was originally scheduled to expire in late November 2025; an October extension pushed that date to February 2026, and the latest order extends the mission through the end of 2026, an official familiar with the matter told CNN.
What Forces Will Do
Defense officials told The Washington Post that Guard personnel will continue to conduct armed patrols across the city and carry out community "beautification" and support projects. Joint Task Force–DC, the National Guard headquarters overseeing the deployment, reported 2,673 troops assigned to the mission as of Friday: 714 members of the D.C. National Guard plus 1,959 additional personnel sent from 11 Republican-led states, including Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi, West Virginia, Georgia and Alabama.
Related Developments
The extension follows President Trump’s announcement that he would withdraw Guard forces from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland after a Supreme Court ruling found he had not demonstrated the "exceptional" circumstances required to federalize the Guard in Chicago. In that announcement, Trump warned that troops "will come back…when crime begins to soar again," calling such a return "only a question of time."
The Washington deployment drew renewed attention — and an additional 500 troops — after a November shooting that killed U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and injured West Virginia Guardsman Andrew Wolfe. Authorities have charged Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan refugee described by officials as having ties to the CIA, with first-degree murder while armed, multiple assault counts and weapons offenses; he has pleaded not guilty to initial charges.
Sources: CNN, The Washington Post, Joint Task Force–DC statements.
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