Washington, DC, United States – Outside Union Station in the US capital, bored-looking soldiers linger near two large armoured vehicles as commuters and tourists snap photos of the unusual scene.

Inside the century-old transportation hub, a dozen National Guard soldiers pace the marble floors, appearing to be armed only with zip-tie handcuffs.

Their presence has not directly disrupted traffic, but the Trump administration’s deployment of federal forces – part of its takeover of city policing – has left Washington, DC, residents fearful and confused.

Randy Kindle, a 48-year-old Air Force veteran, called the deployment a “show”.

“It’s disrespectful to our troops to have to invade their own country essentially and be pitted against their own citizens,” Kindle told Al Jazeera outside Un

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