U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday authorized roughly 2,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen deployed in Washington, D.C., to carry their service-issued weapons when mission requirements call for it, according to a Pentagon statement and a U.S. defense official. The directive applies to members of the Joint Task Force–District of Columbia who have been supporting federal and local law-enforcement agencies in the capital. The order represents a shift from guidance issued last week that kept the Guard unarmed. While troops remain prohibited from making arrests, they may detain individuals temporarily until police arrive. The interim commanding general of the D.C. Guard retains discretion over how the troops are postured, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department and federal partners. Nearly 2,000 Guard members are now stationed in Washington after the arrival this week of personnel from at least six Republican-led states, broadening President Donald Trump’s effort to curb crime and homelessness in the city. The deployment follows an earlier call-up of 800 D.C. Guard members and coincides with an MPD report showing violent crime down 27% year-to-date. Guard personnel could begin carrying weapons in the coming days.