Topline
President Donald Trump’s deployment of over 2,000 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., was illegal, a federal judge ruled Thursday, siding with local officials as troops near their fourth month of deployment in the city.
Members of the National Guard patrol near the U.S. Capitol on October 1, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images
Key Facts
Judge Jia Cobb said the Department of Defense defendants “exceeded the bounds of their authority” when they deployed the National Guard for “non-military, crime deterrence missions” without a request from Washington, D.C., authorities.
Cobb’s ruling does not mean troops have to be pulled from the capital, noting she has only been tasked with determining the legality of the deployment.
Cobb issued a pause on her order until Dec. 11, allowing time for the Trump administration to appeal.
Some 2,300 National Guard troops were stationed in Washington, D.C., as of last month.
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Tangent
Indiana officials recently approved the deployment of 300 members of the state’s National Guard to Washington, D.C., to relieve troops sent to the capital from other states, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, which reported the mission is expected to last four months at the most.