Federal Appeals Court Upholds Trump Administration’s National Guard Deployment in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s effort to maintain the National Guard deployment in the nation’s capital, allowing troops to remain stationed in Washington, D.C., through the end of February. The unanimous decision by a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals came Wednesday, indefinitely pausing a lower court’s order that had demanded thousands of Guardsmen be sent home after months of deployment.
The legal battle centers on the unique status of Washington, D.C., a federal district created by Congress, which the court cited as a key factor in its ruling. The panel found it likely that the Trump administration will prevail in a lawsuit filed by D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, who challenged the deployment as an unlawful infringement on the city’s local law enforcement authority.
In September, Schwalb filed suit against the administration, arguing that the extended presence of National Guard troops in the capital and other states exceeded presidential authority and disrupted the city’s governance. He also sought a preliminary injunction to halt the deployment while the case proceeded.
Judge Patricia Millett, who initially ordered the removal of the Guardsmen, expressed concern over the prolonged deployment’s impact on service members, noting the “profound level of disruption to the lives of thousands of service members who have been deployed for four months already.” However, she also observed that the attorney general had not demonstrated any ongoing injury to the city’s statutory interests.
“The President’s order implicates a strong and distinctive interest in the protection of federal governmental functions and property within the Nation’s capital,” Millett wrote, highlighting the federal government’s unique role in the district.
The appeals court’s decision effectively reinstates the Trump administration’s authority to keep National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., as it continues to weigh the merits of the case. The ruling also follows a previous freeze on the lower court’s order, which the appeals court extended to allow for further review.
National Guard deployment in the capital has been a contentious issue, especially given the city’s complex governance structure and the balance of federal and local powers. The situation echoes other recent disputes over National Guard authority, including a separate federal court case concerning troop deployments in Portland, Oregon.
For more information on the federal court system and related rulings, visit the United States Courts website. Details on the National Guard’s role and responsibilities can be found at the National Guard Bureau. The Department of Justice provides updates on ongoing litigation involving federal authority, while the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia offers insight into the city’s legal challenges.
This ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over federal versus local control in the nation’s capital, with implications for law enforcement, civil liberties, and military deployment policies as Washington, D.C., prepares for the coming months.
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