The National Guard's deployment in Washington, D.C. since August 2025 has had no measurable effect on violent crime, according to a report by the Niskanen Center. The researchers describe the deployment as an expensive tool used in the wrong places for the wrong types of crime.
The report notes that while the deployment did not impact violent crime, it did result in a 24% decline in opportunistic property crime in the first six months of the operation. However, the authors argue that a more targeted, data-driven approach by the Metropolitan Police Department could have achieved comparable or better outcomes at a fraction of the expense.
The White House has dismissed the report, with a spokeswoman calling it an out-of-touch analysis and stating that President Trump's efforts have driven down crime and improved quality of life in the city. The administration is requesting an additional 1,500 Guard troops ahead of America's 250th birthday events in the district.
