D.C. Councilmember urges five new governors to recall 628 National Guard troops

Brooke Pinto is asking five incoming governors to remove 628 National Guard troops from Washington, D.C., immediately upon taking office.

The troop presence began in August 2025 after the federal government declared a state of emergency. That action sent federal personnel into various neighborhoods and triggered a legal dispute between local leaders and the White House. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed suit, arguing that the administration lacks the authority to deploy out-of-state National Guard units in the District. During oral arguments in mid-October, Department of Justice attorneys maintained that the president ordered the deployment to support federal law enforcement. They noted that the military footprint contributed to a drop in violent crime and warned that restricting presidential authority could hamper future mobilizations for events like inaugurations or natural disasters.

Pinto, who chairs the Council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, raised the issue during a public hearing on federal law enforcement and military activity in the city. She cited election victories by Democratic candidates in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas. Those five states currently account for the 628 troops stationed in the capital. Pinto pointed to concerns from families and educators regarding operations near schools. She referenced an October listening session at Bard High School in Ward 8, where students described armed troops gearing up with weapons. Students also said troops staged near school entrances and bus stops and walked past classroom windows during the school day. Pinto joined neighborhood parents outside Bard in mid-October to protest the deployments. Troops were also spotted stationed near election ballot drop boxes during that period.

Pinto wants the incoming governors to issue withdrawal orders on their first day in office. She is also urging congressional Democrats, who will take the majority in January, to launch oversight investigations into federal operations in D.C. She proposes passing rules that bar federal personnel from wearing face coverings on District streets. Council leaders plan to coordinate their next legislative steps with incoming District leaders. That group includes Mayor-elect Janeese Lewis George and Delegate-elect Robert White.

It is not yet clear if the incoming governors will take executive action to recall their units immediately. It is also unknown how the Trump administration would respond if states move to pull their personnel. A three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has no deadline to issue a decision on the legality of the deployments. A court ruling could come down at any time.