(NewsNation) — More than 850 National Guard troops and other federal agents were on the ground in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday as the district emerged from the first full night of President Donald Trump’s law enforcement takeover.
Since Trump’s troop deployment and local police federalization, the administration has reported nearly two dozen arrests.
The White House on Tuesday touted 23 arrests for gun charges, drunk driving, fare evasion, reckless driving and one person wanted on murder charges. As of December 2024, more than 702,000 people resided in the nation’s capital.
For the takeover to last more than 30 days, it would require an act of Congress — a possibility the Trump administration hasn’t ruled out.
“We will reevaluate and reassess and make further decisions after this 30-day period is up,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a Tuesday press briefing.
Homeless camps to be cleared, but shelter space a concern
Wednesday morning, the White House said two homeless camps on National Park Service property could be cleared out as soon as this week. Where those people will go remains unknown.
Two advocates for homeless people told NewsNation on Tuesday the shelter space in D.C. is “very limited.”
“That’s going to be a mess,” said one person living in one of the city’s encampments. “Because that’s going to be a mess, I’m telling you.”
Leavitt said Tuesday that people will be given the option to leave their encampment, be taken to a shelter or offered addiction or mental health services.
“If they refuse, they will be susceptible to fines or to jail time,” Leavitt said. “Again, these are preexisting laws that are already on the books. They have not been enforced.”
Other Democrat-led cities could be next Trump target
NewsNation cameras captured approximately 800 National Guard members arriving for duty Tuesday. The federal troops will work in D.C. alongside U.S. Park Police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, border czar Tom Homan confirmed.
Trump has floated the idea of expanding his crackdown against crime and homelessness to cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Baltimore.
“We’re going to take back our capital,” Trump said. “And then we’ll look at other cities.”
NewsNation’s Rob Taub, Joe Khalil and Anna Kutz contributed to this report.
