National Guard Troops Patrol Washington Streets; Motive Unclear

National Guard troops were seen patrolling multiple streets in Washington, D.C., on the evening of Aug. 12, according to several firsthand accounts shared on social media. Witnesses reported uniformed personnel moving through downtown areas shortly before midnight local time. The reason for the deployment was not immediately confirmed. One account attributed the patrols to an order from President Donald Trump, but neither the White House nor the Pentagon had issued a statement by late Tuesday. No curfew or emergency directive had been announced in the capital, and city officials had yet to comment on the presence of federal troops.