National Guard reinforcements ordered after shooting near White House

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that the federal government will send an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., following a shooting that critically injured two Guard members only blocks from the White House.

Hegseth, speaking to reporters during a visit to the Dominican Republic, said the decision came at the direction of President Trump, who urged a more robust security presence in the capital. According to the Defense secretary, the administration views the troop increase as part of its broader effort to reinforce public safety in the District, an effort he described as having already produced major reductions in crime. He emphasized that the attack on Guard personnel would only strengthen the government’s determination to keep the city secure and to respond firmly to acts of violence targeting U.S. service members.

Authorities said the two National Guard members were shot at the intersection of 17th and I Street earlier Wednesday. The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that a suspect had been detained shortly after the incident. Initial reports on the victims’ condition created confusion, as West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey first announced that the service members—identified as part of his state’s National Guard—had died. Shortly afterward, he said his office was receiving contradictory information and would release further updates once their conditions were confirmed.

Roughly 2,200 Guard members from several states are currently deployed in Washington as part of the administration’s initiative to curb violent crime. The mission faces legal uncertainty, however. A federal judge ruled last week that the deployment could not continue, but that decision has been paused until December 11 while the Trump administration pursues an appeal. The judge overseeing the case, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, was appointed by former President Biden.

President Trump weighed in on the shooting on social media Wednesday, denouncing the attack and praising the National Guard as well as law enforcement personnel working in the capital. He said the suspect, who was also injured, would face severe consequences.

The incident has intensified debate over the federal government’s use of National Guard troops in domestic law-enforcement support roles, particularly in the politically sensitive environment of the nation’s capital. Further details on the condition of the wounded service members are expected as officials continue to assess the situation.