West Virginia is sending between 300 and 400 members of its National Guard to Washington, DC, to help in the Trump administration’s takeover of the city’s police department, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The move follows the activation of hundreds of District of Columbia National Guard members earlier this week to support local police. The Republican administration has described the effort as part of its plan to address crime and homelessness in the capital. Governor Patrick Morrisey said on Saturday in a post on X that he was deploying “300-400 skilled personnel” from the West Virginia National Guard. He said the deployment was to support President Donald Trump’s “initiative to make DC safe and beautiful.” At the request of the Trump administration, I have directed the @WVNationalGuard to support the President’s initiative to make D.C. safe and beautiful. We are deploying 300-400 skilled personnel to the nation’s capital, reflecting our commitment to a strong and secure America. — Governor Patrick Morrisey (@wvgovernor) August 16, 2025 Morrisey added that the step showed “our commitment to a strong and secure America.”
