National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., will now carry weapons for personal protection and are allowed to carry out law enforcement duties, defense officials said.

President Trump’s military presence in Washington, DC continues to escalate, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirming that National Guard troops deployed in the capitol will now be armed and authorized to carry out local law enforcement duties.

With several states deploying some troops to Washington, D.C., the nation's capital has around 2,000 National Guard troops deployed.