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Hegseth authorizes National Guard to carry weapons in D.C. deployment
The Washington Post ^ | August 22, 2025 | Dan Lamothe

Posted on 08/22/2025 9:47:14 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

National Guard members participating in the military deployment that President Donald Trump has ordered in Washington, D.C., will “soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons,” the Pentagon said in a statement Friday, following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s formal authorization allowing troops to carry firearms in the nation’s capital.

The authorization applies to members of Joint Task Force-D.C., the military mission that includes both members of the D.C. National Guard and six states that are involved in the deployment, the Pentagon said in a statement. The use of firearms will be consistent with the National Guard’s mission and training, with Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard II, acting commander of the D.C. National Guard, granted authority to make any “force posture adjustments” he deems necessary while coordinating with D.C. police, the statement said.

“The D.C. National Guard remains committed to safeguarding the District of Columbia and serving those who live, work, and visit the District,” the statement said.

The authorization appears to give legal cover to carry weapons, and it comes after Guard members have walked the streets of the District without firearms for several days. Military commanders have coordinated with police officials, balancing the unusual directive to deploy troops on domestic soil with President Donald Trump’s desire to involve the military in a federal crackdown on crime.

About 2,000 National Guard members were involved as of Thursday, with more on the way, military officials said in a statement. Officials with Joint Task Force-D.C. said in a statement Friday morning that they were aware of media reports about the authorization to carry firearms, but insisted that “no change to our arming posture” had been made. It was not clear when, or if, that posture may change. It also was unclear whether Guard members would carry rifles or handguns, or whether they...

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: banglist; crime; dc; hegseth; military; nationalguard
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1 posted on 08/22/2025 9:47:14 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Do they get ammo?


2 posted on 08/22/2025 10:08:14 AM PDT by DariusBane (Liberty and Risk. Flip sides of the same coin. So how much risk will YOU accept? Vive Deo et Vives)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I thought the Guard always carried weapons, just unloaded and without ammo, although when I was in the guard some us carried a loaded magazine hidden on us.

Carrying around an M-16 without the ability to protect it from robbers is bad, but it is doubly bad for Guard sent to restore order in crime ravaged and riot torn cities, at one time the unloaded symbol of authority might have been enough, but in post immigration America, the bad guys are well aware that guardsmen are walking around with valuable rifles which are there for the taking.


3 posted on 08/22/2025 10:13:14 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: ansel12

Carrying around an M-16 without the ability to protect it from robbers is bad, but in post immigration America, the bad guys are well aware that guardsmen are walking around with valuable rifles which are there for the taking.


Scary.


4 posted on 08/22/2025 10:17:04 AM PDT by Liz (May you be in Heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead (Irish blessing))
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If the illegals and criminals have weapons, so should the Fed. agents. At least the billions of rounds ordered for govt. agencies under Obama’s first term can finally be put to use.


5 posted on 08/22/2025 10:17:22 AM PDT by Blue Highway
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To: Liz
"Scary."

Not scary. That is what military forces do. Carry a ruck sack and shoot a rifle.

6 posted on 08/22/2025 10:21:23 AM PDT by mosaicwolf
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To: Liz
"Scary."

Not scary. That is what military forces do. Carry a ruck sack and shoot a rifle.

7 posted on 08/22/2025 10:21:23 AM PDT by mosaicwolf
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Will they also carry a basic load of ammo, 210 rounds? 7 loaded magazines? With one seated?
Otherwise, the rifle is an exceptionally awkward club, that can by determined to be harmless at a glance.

Gangbangers are bright enough to avoid confrontations. The paid protestors who are going to show up in the morning to scream into bull horns from 6 inches away, not so much.
Be fun to watch the surprised look on a Communist when some NG PFC racks a round into battery.

"No, wait..."

8 posted on 08/22/2025 10:22:50 AM PDT by jonascord (First rule of the Dunning-Kruger Club is that you do not know you are in the Dunning-Kruger club.)
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To: mosaicwolf

I reacted to the bad guys know the rifles are there “for the taking.”


9 posted on 08/22/2025 10:24:27 AM PDT by Liz (May you be in Heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead (Irish blessing))
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To: jonascord

“Will they also carry a basic load of ammo, 210 rounds? 7 loaded magazines? With one seated?”

Doubtful. They don’t need a full invasion-day combat load to be effective in this DC task. They also don’t need grenades and Apaches on call.


10 posted on 08/22/2025 10:28:52 AM PDT by DesertRhino (When men on the chessboard, get up and tell you where to go…)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

My National Guard Unit was federalized for Hurricane Andrew. The search and rescue recovery changed to a major law enforcement operation. Looting and lawlessness was rampant and establishing civil stability was our new mission. We were given one 30 round M-16 magazine each to be carried in the magazine pouch. It was spooky patrolling zombie apocalypse areas but no force was necessary to restore order. We did help arresting looters, taxi flood victims and haul supplies in my Deuce and a Half.


11 posted on 08/22/2025 10:31:42 AM PDT by shanover (...To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave e them.-S.Adams)
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To: Liz
It is scary, and puzzling, during riots when a few guardsmen are standing around with all this valuable gear and automatic rifles, any couple of armed muggers can walk up and take it all, along with their money and phones.

I hope these guys in 1967 Detroit had ammunition.


12 posted on 08/22/2025 10:36:29 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: ansel12

The belt fed ammo in that picture surely wasn’t blanks right?


13 posted on 08/22/2025 10:41:45 AM PDT by Blue Highway
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To: jonascord

“”””Otherwise, the rifle is an exceptionally awkward club””””

During Basic training my buddy and I were assigned to guard the daytime parking lot at the PX while everyone was parking and shopping, for some reason I decided to mess with an E-9 who had just pulled in, he was laughing at my feigned diligence until I told my buddy “fix bayonets” which made him take a serious pause and suddenly it was a nervous, “now look fellas, relax......”.


14 posted on 08/22/2025 10:43:16 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Truman did the same thing?


15 posted on 08/22/2025 10:44:33 AM PDT by bunkerhill7 (Don't shoot until you see the whites of their lies)
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To: DesertRhino

But grenades are real crowd-pleasers.


16 posted on 08/22/2025 10:49:04 AM PDT by Noumenon (Duty is as heavy as a mountain; death is as light as a feather. KTF)
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To: Blue Highway

I don’t know, I can’t make it out, I do have a belt of the blanks in my living room.


17 posted on 08/22/2025 10:49:27 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: Liz

“I reacted to the bad guys know the rifles are there “for the taking.”

It is difficult to do this with a 62 grain slug in your chest.


18 posted on 08/22/2025 11:05:14 AM PDT by cpdiii (cane cutter, deckhand, oilfield roughneck, drilling fluid tech, geologist, pilot, pharmacist, MAGA)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If they’re carrying P-320’s I’m sure they’d rather have M-4’s.

CC


19 posted on 08/22/2025 11:18:34 AM PDT by Celtic Conservative (*This is a test of the emergency tagline system. This is only a test*)
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To: ansel12; Blue Highway

If those are blanks in the belt, it’s only going to go “bang” once since there is no blank firing adapter on the MG to make it cycle.


20 posted on 08/22/2025 11:30:12 AM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't. )
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