West Virginia sends National Guard members to Washington at Trump team’s request

US President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

West Virginia is sending 300 to 400 members of its National Guard to the US capital to assist in the Trump administration’s takeover of the city’s police department.

The move by a nearby state comes as hundreds of District of Columbia National Guard were activated this week to back up local law enforcement in what the Republican administration calls an effort to crack down on crime and homelessness in the District of Columbia.

Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a post on Saturday on X that he was deploying “300-400 skilled personnel” from the West Virginia National Guard to support Mr Trump’s “initiative to make DC safe and beautiful”.

West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation’s capital

Mr Morrisey said the step reflects “our commitment to a strong and secure America”.

They will arrive in the District of Columbia along with equipment and specialised training services, his office said in a statement.

“West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation’s capital,” Mr Morrisey said.

“The men and women of our National Guard represent the best of our state, and this mission reflects our shared commitment to a strong and secure America.”

The move comes as federal agents and National Guard troops have begun to appear across the heavily Democratic city after Mr Trump’s executive order on Monday federalising local police forces and activating about 800 DC National Guard troops for his plan.

Maj Gen James Seward, West Virginia’s adjutant general, said in a statement that members of the state’s National Guard “stand ready to support our partners in the National Capital Region” and that the Guard’s “unique capabilities and preparedness make it an invaluable partner in this important undertaking.”

Federal agents have appeared in some of the city’s most highly trafficked neighbourhoods, garnering praise, pushback and alarm from local residents and leaders across the country.

City leaders, who are obliged to co-operate with the president’s order under the federal laws that direct the district’s local governance, have sought to work with the administration though have bristled at the scope of the president’s takeover.