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National Guard presence causes headaches, backlash in DC
Defense &
National Security
Defense &
National Security
The Big Story
National Guard presence causes headaches, backlash in DC
A National Guard vehicle collided with a civilian car early Wednesday morning in Washington, D.C., an incident that comes as a new poll found a majority of the city's residents are opposed to President Trump's takeover.
© AP
The collision, which happened at the intersection of 8th Street SE and North Carolina Avenue SE — approximately a mile away from the U.S. Capitol — caused the civilian driver to be trapped in the car. They were rescued and transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, according to D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said officers responded to reports of the crash at 6:18 a.m. EDT and “upon arrival officers discovered a two-car accident involving a government vehicle.”
The military vehicle was a D.C. National Guard Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle and was part of a five-vehicle convoy and an MPD cruiser, the National Guard said in a statement reported by local news outlets.
The National Guard's presence in D.C. which has doubled this week from around 800 to close to 1,900 — along with Trump's takeover of the city's police department, has irked a large number of residents. The guardsmen have been seen mainly in historically low-crime areas such as Union Station, as well as the National Mall and other monuments.
During a photo op with the guardsmen stationed in the city Wednesday, protesters booed Vice President Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. The three officials Vance were visiting Union Station, blocks from the U.S. Capitol, to thank the troops at a Shake Shack.
The protesters shouted "Free D.C.," at the three men, drowning out much of what they said when they tried to speak to reporters.
Asked why troops were stationed at Union Station instead of areas of the city with higher crime rates, Vance claimed the station was overrun with homeless people, making visitors feel unsafe.
In a new survey, released The Washington Post, shows 69 percent of participants said they “strongly” oppose the president’s decision to take federal control over the Metropolitan Police Department, and 10 percent said they “somewhat” oppose the move.
Only 9 percent said they “strongly” approve of the Trump administration’s federalization of local police, while 8 percent said they “somewhat” support the crackdown on crime. About 4 percent said they had no opinion, the poll found.
Trump has sought to justify his decision by pointing to violent crimes and........
© The Hill
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