West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Saturday directed the state’s National Guard to assist with President Donald Trump’s federal policing efforts in Washington, D.C.
The state will send between 300 and 400 National Guard troops to the District at the Trump administration’s request. The move comes as federal agents and National Guard troops have begun to appear across the heavily Democratic city after Trump’s executive order Monday federalizing local police forces and activating about 800 D.C. National Guard troops for his plan.
The West Virginia troops will provide “mission-essential equipment” and specialized training. They will arrive in D.C. along with equipment and specialized training services.
Funding for the efforts comes from the federal government, according to a news release about the order.
“West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation’s capital,” Morrisey said in the release. “The men and women of our National Guard represent the best of our state, and this mission reflects our shared commitment to a strong and secure America.”
Morrisey, a Republican, made the order as “a show of commitment to public safety and regional cooperation,” the release says.
Maj. Gen. James Seward, West Virginia’s adjutant general, said in a statement that members of the state’s National Guard “stand ready to support our partners in the National Capital Region” and that the Guard’s “unique capabilities and preparedness make it an invaluable partner in this important undertaking,” the Associated Press reported.
Federal agents have appeared in some of the city’s most highly trafficked neighborhoods, garnering praise, pushback and alarm from local residents and leaders across the country.
City leaders, who are obliged to cooperate with the president’s order under the federal laws that direct the district’s local governance, have sought to work with the administration though have bristled at the scope of the president’s takeover.
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