National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., will now carry weapons for personal protection and are allowed to carry out law enforcement duties, defense officials said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard troops to start carrying firearms while patrolling the streets of Washington for President Donald Trump's law enforcement crackdown, the Pentagon said Friday.

President Trump’s military presence in Washington, DC continues to escalate, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirming that National Guard troops deployed in the capitol will now be armed and authorized to carry out local law enforcement duties.

The Trump administration is deploying up to 1,700 National Guard troops to 19 states to assist with planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities.