Two governors are sparring about murder rates amid national debates over President Donald Trump using the U.S. National Guard in a move to reduce crime in the District of Columbia .

Six Republican-led states, including Mississippi , have sent a total of about 2,000 National Guard troops to Washington to participate in what the president calls a much-needed crackdown on violent crime. Data has shown a decline in the D.C. crime rate in 2025.

For weeks, the patrols were unarmed, but the Pentagon recently announced that National Guardsmen will carry service weapons. They cannot make arrests, but they can detain people to hand over to local law enforcement.

The president has also said he plans to expand his program into more Democratic-run cities like Chicago and New York.

Critics

See Full Page