WASHINGTON — Currently, more than 2,200 National Guardsmen from across the country are serving as part of Joint Task Force D.C., with an additional 500 on the way, said Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson, who held a press briefing on Dec. 2, 2025.
On Nov. 26, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said President Donald J. Trump requested that he order the additional guardsmen to Washington.
"Each one of them will continue working to ensure the safety of all who live, work and visit the district. We will not lose sight of our mission. This targeting will only embolden our resolve. Our warriors are strong, and we will not back down until our capital and our cities are secure," she said.
The "targeting" Wilson referred to was the Nov. 26 attack on two National Guardsmen.
Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of Summersville, West Virginia, died one day after being shot while on duty near Farragut Square, a small park, in Washington.
Also wounded in the shooting was Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, of Martinsburg, West Virginia. He is currently hospitalized.
"Defending our homeland and rescuing America's greatest cities from endemic violence is the highest and best use of our military," Wilson said.
These missions aren't going to stop in Chicago, Los Angeles or Washington, she added.
"The National Guard is proud to step in alongside our law enforcement partners to help with that. And I can confirm that all guardsmen in D.C. are now armed, and many of our D.C. National Guardsmen are now also doing joint patrols with members of the Metropolitan Police Department here in D.C.," she said.
"Their safety is, of course, top of mind, and we will continue to make sure that they're able to do their jobs in keeping all of our great Americans safe across our cities," Wilson added.
Hegseth met with National Guard troops Nov. 28 at the D.C. Armory to express gratitude for the work they have done to curb violent crimes.
"Obviously, our hearts are heavy right now for the loss of Spc. Sarah Beckstrom," Hegseth said. "Some of you may have known her, a beautiful human being and a great American willing to serve her country. [She was] brutally targeted, ambushed, on the street. [There are] no words for the sadness we have for her family. We pray for them. We also pray for Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe with the Air National Guard, [who is in a] fight for his life right now."
The secretary led troops in a prayer for Beckstrom's family, Wolfe's recovery and for the safety of American service members who are now spread across the nation's capital and the world.
The secretary also met privately with the two individuals who helped subdue Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was subsequently arrested as the suspect in the shooting.
According to the National Guard as of yesterday, besides the D.C. and West Virginia Guard, other Air and Army guardsmen in the capital are from Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.
Related Links
Transcript: Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson Holds an On-Camera, On-the-Record Press Briefing
Social Sharing