The National Guard is a reserve force of the U.S. military that is typically deployed by states in response to natural disasters, although it has been used in the past by presidents to help quell domestic unrest - including President George H.W. Bush during the Los Angeles riots in 1992.

Hundreds of National Guard troops arrived in Washington D.C. as part of President Donald Trump's push to crackdown on crime by federalizing the capitol's law enforcement.

National Guard troops have started showing up in the nation’s capital after President Trump activated them to patrol Washington’s streets, arguing that crime has gotten out of control. The District of Columbia Army National Guard began patrolling the streets on Tuesday and a group of service members met with Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.