All National Guard members patrolling Washington, D.C., are now armed, as missions continue in the nation's capital and in other major cities, War Department press secretary Kingsley Wilson said Tuesday.
The move dovetailed with the Trump administration's push to protect troops deployed in support of public safety operations.
"I can confirm that everybody in D.C. is now armed," Wilson told reporters during a morning press conference.
She added that many Guard troops in D.C. are now conducting joint patrols alongside local police.
"Their safety, of course, is top of mind, and we will continue to make sure they're able to do their jobs in keeping all of our great Americans safe across our country," Wilson said, noting that National Guard missions will continue inChicago and Los Angeles as well, despite last week's deadly shooting.
The security move follows an attack in Washington, D.C., that killed U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, both serving with the West Virginia National Guard.
A 29-year-old Afghan national was charged in the case.
President Donald Trump has publicly expressed support for the families, saying he invited Beckstrom's relatives to the White House and discussed honoring both service members.
"When you're ready, because that's a tough thing, come to the White House," Trump told reporters. "We're going to honor Sarah — and likewise with Andrew, recover or not."
As communities in West Virginia hold vigils for Beckstrom and pray for Wolfe, Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey delivered a hopeful update Monday during a press conference televised by Newsmax, saying Wolfe has shown signs of responsiveness while remaining in serious condition.
"We did have some positive news," said Morrisey, who described being told that Wolfe responded to a nurse's request for a thumbs-up and also "wiggled his toes."
The governor added that Wolfe's mother has asked Americans to pray, and Morrisey said, "Those prayers are working."
Morrisey also emphasized that the roughly 170 West Virginia Guard troops in D.C. are serving voluntarily and believe in the mission.
"They're volunteering because they believe in the mission. They want to support the state of West Virginia. They want to support the country," he said.
For the administration, Wilson's announcement reflects a broader posture: protecting those on the front lines while pressing ahead with law-and-order deployments aimed at stabilizing cities and deterring violence.
Supporters argue that the policy is common sense — if troops are asked to step into volatile environments, they should not be left vulnerable.
Newsmax Wires contributed to this report.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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