In 1989, the National Guard, under the direction of former President George H.W. Bush, entered the nation’s capital as a locally directed partner with a narrow support role. In 2025, under President Donald Trump, the National Guard has arrived as a federally commanded force, emphasizing how quickly the president can replace D.C.’s self-governance with direct federal control.

When the National Guard was deployed to D.C. in 1989, then-Mayor Marion Barry made one thing clear: The troops would not patrol city streets or make arrests.

The mission, Barry said, was to support, not take over, District police, a stance shaped by the city’s fight to preserve its limited autonomy through home rule and avoid military involvement in everyday policing.

Today’s use of that authority is a complete depa

See Full Page