D.C. Sues Trump Over National Guard Deployment, Alleging Illegal Federal Takeover

September 4, 2025

The District of Columbia has filed a lawsuit against President Trump and federal agencies, challenging the deployment of over 2,200 National Guard troops from seven states and D.C. that were dispatched without Mayor Bowser's consent. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb's 52-page complaint argues that armed soldiers conducting patrols, making detentions, and using armored vehicles in D.C. neighborhoods constitutes an illegal military occupation that violates multiple laws including the Home Rule Act. The lawsuit claims Trump's executive orders, which placed Guard units under federal command and deputized them as U.S. Marshals, unlawfully strip governors of constitutional control over their state militias and has negatively impacted the local economy.

Who is affected

Residents of the District of Columbia
D.C. Metropolitan Police Department
Local businesses, including tourism, restaurants, and hotels
Civilian drivers (with one specifically mentioned as injured in a crash with a Guard-operated armored vehicle)
National Guard troops from seven states and the District
State governors whose control over their militias has allegedly been stripped

What action is being taken

The District of Columbia is filing a lawsuit against President Trump, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and other federal officials
National Guard troops are conducting "presence patrols," making detentions, and riding armored vehicles through neighborhoods
Armed soldiers in fatigues are patrolling Metro stations, residential neighborhoods, and routine local events
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb is pursuing legal action to end what he calls "illegal federal overreach"

Why it matters

The deployment threatens the principle of local self-government and potentially violates multiple laws including the Home Rule Act, Emergency Management Assistance Compact, and Posse Comitatus Act
The militarization has reportedly harmed the local economy with tourism, restaurants, and hotels reporting sharp drops in business
The federal orders allegedly suspend local gun laws by allowing Guardsmen to carry otherwise prohibited weapons
According to officials quoted in the article, the military presence sets a dangerous precedent that could affect other American cities in the future

What's next

The lawsuit asks the court to declare Trump's actions unconstitutional
The District is requesting the court to vacate the federal orders
The filing seeks to permanently bar the administration from continuing the military presence in the District

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer