District of Columbia Sues the Trump Administration in Effort to Stop Deployment of National Guard

Articles | September 4, 2025 | by Catholics for Catholics

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The troops have been aiding local law enforcement since Trump mobilized them on Aug. 11.

By Catholics for Catholics

The District of Columbia is suing the Trump administration for sending the National Guard to patrol Washington D.C.

In the lawsuit, D.C. alleges that the use of troops encroaches upon the semi-sovereign status of the District, known as Home Rule. It contends that the area has authority over its own affairs, but Congress can supersede its decisions, reported The Epoch Times.

“In so doing, [President Donald Trump] has run roughshod over a fundamental tenet of American democracy—that the military should not be involved in domestic law enforcement,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit also claims that using the National Guard from other states in the nation’s capital is a violation of the Constitution and federal law.

“That is because the Constitution and federal law reserve to the states the authority to command National Guard forces unless and until they have been placed into active federal service,” it states. “The president has not federalized any of the out-of-state forces he has foisted on the District. The federal government therefore may not lawfully command them or control their day-to-day operations, as it is doing here.”

Lots of attorneys on the signature page. Wonder who is paying for this and how much it costs DC residents/tax payers?

DC Sues: Trump Admin Seeking to Stop National Guard Deployment https://t.co/3Zf77YgHGi via @epochtimes pic.twitter.com/qEhDhle9Vy

— Fairfax Warrior Mom (@ShellyArnoldi) September 4, 2025

The White House countered by criticizing the lawsuit and defended the implementation of troops.

“President Trump is well within his lawful authority to deploy the National Guard in Washington, D.C., to protect federal assets and assist law enforcement with specific tasks,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said. “This lawsuit is nothing more than another attempt—at the detriment of DC residents and visitors—to undermine the President’s highly successful operations to stop violent crime in DC.”

Since Aug. 11th, National Guard troops have been aiding law enforcement in the District of Columbia. The soldiers do not have the authority to arrest people but can detain them until law enforcement arrives.