New Actor: D.C. Attorney General Sues Trump Over Deployment

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed suit in the U.S. District Court for D.C. on Sept. 4 to halt President Donald Trump’s deployment of nearly 2,300 National Guard troops in the District. The case targets a multi‑state force under Defense Department command that has patrolled city streets since Aug. 11.

The suit says the deployment violates the Constitution, the Posse Comitatus Act, and the Home Rule Act by assigning soldiers to core policing tasks. It describes orders for armed presence and community patrols. Many Guard members were deputized by the U.S. Marshals to conduct searches, seizures, and arrests, while others on patrol have no arrest power and only report crimes. The complaint also cites harm to public trust and to the city’s economy from lost tourism and business.

As of Tuesday, 2,290 Guard members were assigned to the mission, including large numbers from out of state. Troops were ordered to carry weapons, and the D.C. National Guard extended its orders through Nov. 30. Mayor Muriel Bowser did not endorse the suit and said her focus was on exiting the emergency.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources