National Guard troops patrolling Washington, D.C., at the direction of President Donald Trump began carrying service weapons as of Sunday evening.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized members of the Guard to carry weapons on Friday, but did not give specifics on how often or how many service members would be armed. The direction marks a shift in tone for the National Guard members, who have mostly been aiding law enforcement with community safety patrols, traffic control, and crowd flow.

Recommended Stories

Kathy Hochul positions herself as 'mom from Buffalo' fighting Trump in new ad

Gas prices: Lowest for a national average in August since 2020

Trump leverages White House power with red state redistricting and mail ballot push

Majority of the guard members will carry M17

See Full Page