A first sergeant with the District of Columbia National Guard watches as activists protest President Donald Trump's federal takeover of policing of the District of Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

PARKERSBURG — National Guardsmen from West Virginia and Ohio are headed to Washington, D.C.

But people opposed to the move say it’s not for the reasons President Donald Trump claims.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia and Mike DeWine of Ohio announced Saturday they have authorized the deployment on Trump’s request. Ohio will send 150 and from 300 to 400 will be from West Virginia, and another 200 will come from South Carolina. The states have Republican governors.

Trump on Aug. 11 said he was taking control of the Washington police department and deploying National Guard following an incident where a Department of Government Efficiency employee was assaulted when he attempted to stop a carjacking by a band of juveniles.

“We have been asked by the secretary of the Army to send 150 military police from the Ohio National Guard to support the District of Columbia National Guard,” DeWine said.

Members of the District of Columbia National Guard patrol along the National Mall, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

“These Ohio National Guard members will carry out presence patrols and serve as added security,” he said. “None of these military police members are currently serving as law enforcement officers in the state of Ohio.”

Morrisey’s press release said the National Guard would “support President Trump’s Initiative to make D.C. safe and beautiful.”

The troops will be under the command of Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jim Seward.

“This initiative aligns with our values of service and dedication to our communities,” Seward said. “We stand ready to support our partners in the National Capital Region and contribute to the collective effort of making our nation’s capital a clean and safe environment. The National Guard’s unique capabilities and preparedness make it an invaluable partner in this important undertaking.”

The Guard’s involvement will include mission-essential equipment, specialized training and 300-400 skilled personnel as directed, Morrisey said. The deployment will be funded at the federal level.

FILE - National Guard troops reinforce the security zone on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 19, 2021, before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

“West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation’s capital,” Morrisey said. “The men and women of our National Guard represent the best of our state, and this mission reflects our shared commitment to a strong and secure America.”

State Del. Mike Pushkin, chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party, said Trump’s motive is related to the non-disclosure of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in prison, and Trump were once friends.

“We have enormous respect for the men and women of the West Virginia National Guard, but it’s shameful that Gov. Patrick Morrisey is making them complicit in Donald Trump’s latest political stunt,” Pushkin said. “This deployment has nothing to do with public safety and everything to do with providing cover for Trump’s broken pledge to release the Epstein files and his disturbingly soft treatment of Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted human trafficker he once ‘wished well.'”

The murder rate in Washington was higher during Trump’s last year in office in 2020, “and he did nothing,” Pushkin said.

“Just this year, the Justice Department reported crime in the district has dropped dramatically. The real tragedy here is that instead of helping their neighbors recover from devastating floods at home, our Guard members are being shipped off to serve as props in the Trump-Morrisey political theater. West Virginians deserve leaders who use public resources to actually help our communities, rather than provide a distraction from Donald Trump’s Epstein coverup conspiracy.”

It’s not about crime, according to Lori Flis, steering committee leader for Indivisible MOV, a local group that is part of the national Indivisible movement, said.

“There are many cities with much more crime than Washington, D.C.,” she said.

She believes it is a show of force to intimidate, Flis said.

“There’s evidence that what can stop an authoritarian takeover is a show of mass protest, and Trump wants people to be afraid of that,” Flis said.

Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.