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During an appearance at the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said that if he had allowed protests to continue without intervention, he would have had to cancel the Olympics.
“If I didn’t send in the troops, I don’t think you would have had Los Angeles in condition to have the Olympics,” Trump said.
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National Guard deployment in Los Angeles
In June, Trump had deployed some 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles, arguing that they were needed to protect federal property and law enforcement agents during the protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
🚨 BREAKING: National Guard troops are now deployed in Washington, D.C. after President Trump federalized the Metropolitan Police Department.
Troops have been spotted at the D.C. Armory as security steps up across the capital.
LFG boys — streets are getting locked down. pic.twitter.com/XWGCLyxAZN
— Sarcasm Scoop (@sarcasm_scoop) August 12, 2025
Trump’s DC takeover
Trump’s comments on Thursday came two days after he announced the temporary takeover of the Washington, DC, Police Department.
800 National Guard members were also activated in Washington for what Trump termed the rescue of the US capital from a surge in crime.
National Guard will not have power arrest
On Thursday, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said that the National Guard in Washington, DC, will not have the power of arrest.
Similar to role they played when responding to protests in Los Angeles, the Guards will have the ability to temporarily detain people but it will be up to law enforcement agencies to arrest anyone, she said.
“They will not be arresting people, but they may temporarily limit the movement of an individual who has entered a restricted or secured area without permission,” Wilson told reporters during a press conference. “So this will be very similar to the L.A. mission, where we could temporarily detain someone and then turn them over.”
45 arrests in DC: Kash Patel
Earlier in the day, FBI Director Kash Patel said that 45 arrests were made in Washington, DC, following the takeover.
“The FBI and our partners made 45 arrests – 29 immigration-related, 16 tied to the violent crime surge, and 3 firearm seizures,” Patel said in a social media post.
DC Police, ICE to increase cooperation
Meanwhile, the police chief of Washington, DC, on Thursday ordered an increase in cooperation between local officers and federal immigration agents.
The Executive Order, issued Thursday and signed by Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith, establishes that MPD officers may now share information with immigration agencies regarding people not in custody —such as someone involved in a traffic stop or checkpoint. MPD officers may also provide “transportation for federal immigration employees and detained subjects,” the order states.
THE TRUMP EFFECT 🇺🇸
“On Thursday, following President Trump’s determined violent crime crackdown in Washington, D.C., the city’s police department has decided to break from its existing policy as a ‘sanctuary city’ to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).” pic.twitter.com/45Xd2zwylq
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 14, 2025
Responding to the Executive Order, Trump said it was a great step.
“That’s a very positive thing, I have heard that just happened,” Trump said. “That’s a great step. That’s a great step if they’re doing that,” he added.
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