Washington is set to receive a surge of additional security personnel after President Donald J. Trump directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to deploy 500 more National Guardsmen to the capital. The decision follows the shooting of two West Virginia National Guardsmen near the White House on Monday afternoon, an attack officials described as a deliberate act of violence targeting service members.
Hegseth announced the order from the steps of the Dominican Republic’s National Palace, where he had spent the afternoon in high-level meetings with senior government officials. He said he was notified of the incident immediately after those talks concluded.
According to Hegseth, the two guardsmen were “critically wounded by a shooter” in what he called a “cowardly, dastardly act targeting the best of America.” He emphasized that the attack would not deter federal efforts to stabilize the city. “It will not stand, and that’s why President Trump has asked me, and I will ask the Secretary of the Army to [tell] the National Guard to add 500 additional troops — National Guardsmen — to Washington, D.C.,” he said.
At a separate press conference, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the two victims were West Virginia National Guardsmen stationed near the White House. Both were transported to a nearby hospital and remain in critical condition. D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll added that a suspect is in custody and was also taken to a hospital after sustaining injuries.
Hegseth praised the two wounded guardsmen during his remarks in the Dominican Republic, describing them as “heroes willing to serve in Washington to protect people they do not know and have never met.” He highlighted their commitment to public service and the risks they accept while safeguarding the nation’s capital.
The secretary also noted that the National Guard’s deployment to Washington since August has coincided with what he described as a significant and measurable drop in crime. He said the latest incident would only reinforce the federal government’s determination to strengthen public safety efforts in the district.
“The drop in crime has been historic. The increase in safety and security has been historic. But if criminals want to conduct things like this — violence against America’s best — we will never back down,” Hegseth said.
Federal authorities have not yet released details about the suspect’s motive or identity. The investigation remains active, with local and federal agencies coordinating their response as the capital braces for an expanded National Guard presence.
