WASHINGTON — On a sultry early September afternoon in Washington, D.C., tourists pulling suitcases and office workers rushing between meetings dodged past dozens of National Guard troops standing at the entrance of the city’s iconic Union Station.

More bored-looking troops wandered through the halls of the historic building, peering through the windows of stores and eyeing commuters as they passed through the metro station gates.

It’s not a sight Americans would have expected to see in the United States capital just a few weeks ago. And some experts say it presents a disturbing preview of what could happen elsewhere soon as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to deploy the National Guard to other Democratic strongholds — whether local leaders want it or not.

The troops — who are not p

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