The Republican governor of West Virginia, Patrick Morrisey, announced this Saturday the deployment to Washington D.C. of a contingent of hundreds of members of its National Guard to contribute to the controversial crime operation ordered by Donald Trump.
PUBLICIDAD
The initial mobilization of the National Guard contemplated the activation of up to 800 officers to patrol the streets in a security operation to reduce crime rates that, according to local authorities, are at their lowest levels in several years.
PUBLICIDAD
Why is West Virginia sending military personnel to Washington D.C.?
The governor of a state who Trump won with 70% in the 2024 presidential elections declared his support for the “initiative to restore cleanliness and security” to the capital, repeating the same words as Trump and his government officials.
The participation of the West Virginia National Guard will include “the supply of essential equipment for the mission, specialized training, and approximately 300 to 400 qualified personnel.”
Governor Morrisey said that “West Virginia is proud to support President Trump in his effort to restore the pride and beauty of our nation’s capital” and then added that “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 United States.”
In a statement, Morrisey said that the decision to deploy the National Guard of his state occurred after a request from the Trump administration and that the troops would operate under the command of West Virginia’s adjutant general, Major General Jim Seward.
Metropolitan Police regains control of the city
The decision by the Trump administration and West Virginia comes one day after the Department of Justice decided to backtrack on its plan to take full control of the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington D.C. through the DEA, following a lawsuit filed by local authorities against the executive order signed by the Republican president.
After the complaint filed by the Attorney General of the District of Columbia, the parties involved were summoned by District Judge Ana Reyes, who suggested they reach a joint agreement to prevent the definitive suspension of the city’s federalization.