Pentagon looking to keep National Guard in DC until 2029

WASHINGTON (7News) — The Pentagon is looking to extend the presence of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., for several more years, according to ABC News sources.

Those sources, two U.S. officials familiar with the matter, told ABC News the agency is planning to maintain a presence in the city through early 2029. It’s unclear when a final decision will be made.

“The Department of War is committed to supporting the President’s mission to address the epidemic of crime in our Nation’s capital. There are no announcements to make at this time,” a Pentagon spokesperson told ABC News.

7News has reached out to the D.C. Mayor’s office and the D.C. Council for a statement.

At least 2,500 National Guard members, many from outside states, have patrolled D.C. streets since August 2025, when President Donald Trump ordered their deployment and temporarily federalized the Metropolitan Police Department.

Their deployment was to help quickly address crime in the nation’s capital, which local leaders at the time argued had been trending downward since 2023. But at times, guard members were used for city beautification efforts.

Residents and city leaders have criticized the deployment as a whole, arguing among other reasons that the increased presence had not reached communities that needed crime prevention and that the Trump administration had intervened with the city’s autonomy.

Though many still acknowledged the overall decrease in crime in the city, according to Metropolitan Police Department data.

D.C. crime is down 27% compared to this time last year. Since the start of the year, there have been 11 homicides and 201 cases of assault with a deadly weapon, according to police preliminary data.

Their deployment was previously set to end in 2025, but was extended until the end of 2026.

Meanwhile, the District is suing the Trump administration over the deployment.

Two National Guard members deployed from West Virginia were shot near Farragut Square just before Thanksgiving last year. One of whom, Sarah Beckstrom, died from her injuries.

This story is developing. Stay with 7News for the latest information.