WASHINGTON (AP) – Public schools reopened in the country’s tense capital on Monday, with parents present among thousands of national guards — now armed — and a massive scattering of federal law enforcement officials taking place President Donald Trump’s order To make the District of Columbia a safer place.
Even if Trump started talking about other cities, “I won’t come to Chicago” was a clipped response from the Illinois governor. The president has once again promoted a reduction in crime resulting from extraordinary efforts to take over police in Washington, D.C.
“Parents are worried. We’ve heard from a lot of them,” Mayor Muriel Buffer said at a press conference that some may keep their children out of school due to immigration concerns.
“Attempts to target children are heartless, meaningless, unsaid, and only hurt us,” she said. “I’m urging everyone to leave their kids alone.”
Armed members of the Ohio State Guard will pass by children playing on the water at the Wharf in Washington on Monday, August 25th, 2025. (AP Photo/Jaclyn Martin)
There are a lot of rumors about police activities
As the school opened to the capital, parents’ social media groups and listserves were bustling with rumors of checkpoints and arrests.
The week began with the Patrol National Guard unit, which currently carry firearms. The change came from a Order issued late last week his Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses;
Armed National Guard from Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee were seen in the city on Monday. However, not all patrols carry weapons. The Associated Press photographer said about 30 troops they saw at the National Mall on Monday morning were unarmed.
Armed security guards in Washington operate under long-standing rules regarding the use of military force within the United States, the military task force overseeing all troops deployed in DC said Monday. These rules roughly say that while the military can use force, they should only do it “in response to the imminent threat of death or serious physical harm” and “only as a last resort.”
The task force directed Hegses’ offices to questions as to why changes were needed. These officials refuse to answer these questions. Speaking in the oval office on Monday, Heggs said it was common sense to arm them, as it means they can “protect themselves and others.”
Among their duties, they may pick up trash, the task force said, but it is unclear how much time they will spend.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Buffer will speak to reporters following the opening day of the school’s ceremony at Oyster Adams Bilingual School in Washington on Monday, August 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Barthsenate)
Bowser repeated her opposition to the existence of the National Guard. “I don’t think the military should crack down on American cities,” she said.
Trump is considering expanding its deployment to other democratically driven cities, including Baltimore. Chicago And New York says that the situation in those cities requires federal action. In Washington, more than 1,000 people have been arrested since August 7th, including 86 on Sunday.
“We took hundreds of guns from young children who were throwing them like candies. We arrested many illegal aliens. We seized dozens of illegal firearms. There were zero murders,” Trump said Monday.
National Guard soldiers are standing outside the Smithsonian Aerospace Museum in Washington’s National Mall on Monday, August 25, 2025, as part of President Donald Trump’s order to use federal law enforcement to expel homeless people, expel the capital of violent crime and expel the capital of violent crime.
Several other cities have been bliss on military possibilities on the streets
Possibility of Chicago’s military patrol streets; The third largest city in the countryI was prompted immediately Repulsionconfusing and ironic social media posts.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson First Democratcalling it a legal action that threatened unconstitutional. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker saw it distracting and unnecessary as crime rates in Chicago fell nationwide.
Trump repeatedly suggested earlier Monday that the National Guard might be sent to Chicago, regardless of Pretzker’s opinion, calling the city a “slaying ground.”
Pretzker and other Illinois officials said the Trump administration has not reached out to Chicago leaders on the federal initiative to deploy military personnel to cities to combat crime. They cited statistics showing the decline in violent crime in Chicago and cast Trump’s moves as performance, partisan and racist.
“President, don’t come to Chicago,” Pretzker said. Standing in a park about a mile from a Chicago skyscraper, the name of Trump appeared in a massive lettering. The governor said he would fight “the little whim of a rog haughty little man” “using the military to occupy American cities, punish the rebels and earn political points.”
Others raised questions about where the patrols are going and what role they may play. Square mileage has allowed Chicago to be more than three times larger than Washington, and historically high crime neighborhoods are spreading far away.
Former Chicago Police Principal Garry McCarthy, who also worked at the New York Police Department, wondered what the National Guard would do in terms of fighting street violence. He said that with clear communication, they can help with certain tasks like boundary patrols in high crime areas, but it is working with the police only as part of a wider plan.
Used to assist in Chicago by the National Guard Democratic National Conference During the NATO summit last summer and in 2012.
Overall, violent crime in Chicago fell sharply in the first half of 2025, representing the sharpest decline in more than a decade, according to police data. Shooting and murders fell by more than 30% in the first half compared to the same time last year, while overall violent crime fell by more than 22%.
Member of the Louisiana National Guard Patrol Union Station on Monday, August 25th, 2025 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Still, several areas, including Austin, on the west side of the city where Pastor Ira Ackley is pastor, have experienced persistent high crime.
Acree said he received numerous calls from the congregation who were angry about the possibility of a development. He said if Trump is serious about crime prevention, he would boost funding for anti-violence initiatives.
“This is a joke,” Akolie said. “This move is not about reducing violence. It’s a reckless leadership and political epic. It’s no secret that our city is on the president’s hit list.”
In June, about 4,000 National Guard and 700 Marines were sent to Los Angeles. Deal with the protest Beyond the government’s crackdown on immigration. California Democratic governor Gavin Newsom and other local elected officials opposed.
___
Tareen reported from Chicago. Associated Press authors Konstantin Toropin and Will Weissert contributed to this report.
