Public schools reopened Monday in Washington, D.C., amid heightened tension as thousands of National Guard troops, some now armed, and federal law enforcement officers patrolled the streets, carrying out President Donald Trump ’s orders to make the capital “safer.” Parents were visibly anxious, unsure what the presence of military personnel meant for their children’s safety, according to the Associated Press.
“Parents are anxious. We’ve heard from a lot of them,” Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters, highlighting concerns that some families might keep their children home due to fears over immigration enforcement. “Any attempt to target children is heartless, is mean, is uncalled for and it only hurts us. I would just call for everybody to leave our kids alone,” she said.
The unusual sight of armed troops near playgrounds and school entrances has left many questioning whether the city is truly safer or simply more intimidating.
Rumors and apprehension on the first day
As schools opened across the city, parental social media groups buzzed with reports of checkpoints and arrests, fanning a climate of unease. Some National Guard units patrolling the streets were now armed following a directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, though not all troops carried weapons. An AP photographer noted that the roughly 30 troops he observed on the National Mall Monday morning were unarmed.
The military task force overseeing the deployment said the armed Guard would follow long-standing rules for the use of force within the US, which permit action only in response to imminent threats and as a last resort. When asked about the necessity of arming the troops, Hegseth told AP that it was “common sense” to ensure they were “capable of defending themselves and others.”
A range of duties, a central controversy
Beyond patrolling, the Guard has also been assigned tasks such as picking up trash, though the time spent on these duties is unclear. Bowser reiterated her opposition to military forces policing American cities. “I don’t believe that troops should be policing American cities,” she told AP.
Trump suggested that the deployments could expand to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, and New York. His administration reported that more than 1,000 people have been arrested in D.C. since August 7, including 86 on Sunday alone. “We took hundreds of guns away from young kids, who were throwing them around like it was candy. We apprehended scores of illegal aliens. We seized dozens of illegal firearms. There have been zero murders,” Trump said Monday.
Other cities bristle at federal presence
The possibility of National Guard patrols in Chicago drew immediate backlash. Mayor Brandon Johnson called such a deployment unconstitutional, while Governor JB Pritzker warned it was unnecessary and a distraction, citing declining crime rates. “Mr. President, do not come to Chicago,” Pritzker said in a park near a Trump-branded skyscraper. “I will fight the petty whims of an arrogant little man who wants to use the military to occupy a US city, punish his dissidents and score political points,” he told the AP.
Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of military patrols in a city far larger than D.C. He suggested they might help with perimeter security in high-crime neighborhoods but only in partnership with local police. Even as violent crime in Chicago has dropped more than 30% in shootings and homicides in the first half of 2025, areas like Austin on the West Side continue to face persistent challenges.
Past deployments show mixed precedents. National Guard troops have assisted in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention in 2024 and the 2012 NATO Summit. In June 2025, roughly 4,000 Guard troops and 700 Marines were sent to Los Angeles to respond to immigration-related protests, despite opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom and local officials.
Community voices and growing concern
Pastor Ira Acree of Austin said he had received calls from congregants distressed over potential deployments. “This is a joke. This move is not about reducing violence. This is reckless leadership and political grandstanding. It’s no secret that our city is on the president’s hit list,” Acree told AP.
As Washington schools navigate the first week under an armed military presence, parents and city leaders alike are questioning both the necessity and impact of these deployments. For many, the central concern remains clear: Children should be left to learn and grow without fear of armed forces on their doorsteps.
TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
“Parents are anxious. We’ve heard from a lot of them,” Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters, highlighting concerns that some families might keep their children home due to fears over immigration enforcement. “Any attempt to target children is heartless, is mean, is uncalled for and it only hurts us. I would just call for everybody to leave our kids alone,” she said.
The unusual sight of armed troops near playgrounds and school entrances has left many questioning whether the city is truly safer or simply more intimidating.
Rumors and apprehension on the first day
As schools opened across the city, parental social media groups buzzed with reports of checkpoints and arrests, fanning a climate of unease. Some National Guard units patrolling the streets were now armed following a directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, though not all troops carried weapons. An AP photographer noted that the roughly 30 troops he observed on the National Mall Monday morning were unarmed.
The military task force overseeing the deployment said the armed Guard would follow long-standing rules for the use of force within the US, which permit action only in response to imminent threats and as a last resort. When asked about the necessity of arming the troops, Hegseth told AP that it was “common sense” to ensure they were “capable of defending themselves and others.”
A range of duties, a central controversy
Beyond patrolling, the Guard has also been assigned tasks such as picking up trash, though the time spent on these duties is unclear. Bowser reiterated her opposition to military forces policing American cities. “I don’t believe that troops should be policing American cities,” she told AP.
Trump suggested that the deployments could expand to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, and New York. His administration reported that more than 1,000 people have been arrested in D.C. since August 7, including 86 on Sunday alone. “We took hundreds of guns away from young kids, who were throwing them around like it was candy. We apprehended scores of illegal aliens. We seized dozens of illegal firearms. There have been zero murders,” Trump said Monday.
Other cities bristle at federal presence
The possibility of National Guard patrols in Chicago drew immediate backlash. Mayor Brandon Johnson called such a deployment unconstitutional, while Governor JB Pritzker warned it was unnecessary and a distraction, citing declining crime rates. “Mr. President, do not come to Chicago,” Pritzker said in a park near a Trump-branded skyscraper. “I will fight the petty whims of an arrogant little man who wants to use the military to occupy a US city, punish his dissidents and score political points,” he told the AP.
Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of military patrols in a city far larger than D.C. He suggested they might help with perimeter security in high-crime neighborhoods but only in partnership with local police. Even as violent crime in Chicago has dropped more than 30% in shootings and homicides in the first half of 2025, areas like Austin on the West Side continue to face persistent challenges.
Past deployments show mixed precedents. National Guard troops have assisted in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention in 2024 and the 2012 NATO Summit. In June 2025, roughly 4,000 Guard troops and 700 Marines were sent to Los Angeles to respond to immigration-related protests, despite opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom and local officials.
Community voices and growing concern
Pastor Ira Acree of Austin said he had received calls from congregants distressed over potential deployments. “This is a joke. This move is not about reducing violence. This is reckless leadership and political grandstanding. It’s no secret that our city is on the president’s hit list,” Acree told AP.
As Washington schools navigate the first week under an armed military presence, parents and city leaders alike are questioning both the necessity and impact of these deployments. For many, the central concern remains clear: Children should be left to learn and grow without fear of armed forces on their doorsteps.
TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
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