The Trump administration has called for sending hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., citing security concerns, despite falling crime rates.

The governors of West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio have announced the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., at the request of President Trump, who has described the capital as crime-plagued. The decision comes amid a legal dispute over police control in D.C. and is justified by Trump as a 'security emergency'. Although the violent crime rate has dropped significantly, the troops will have a patrol role, and Trump has suggested expanding the action to other cities.