Last month, Gov. Jeff Landry pledged and sent 135 members of the Louisiana National Guard to assist in President Donald Trump’s effort in Washington D.C. against the proclaimed “crime emergency.”
Trump began this effort back in August. In his Presidential Memoranda about the move, he stated, “Citizens, tourists, and staff alike are unable to live peacefully in the Nation’s capital, which is under siege from violent crime. It is a point of national disgrace that Washington, D.C., has a violent crime rate that is higher than some of the most dangerous places in the world.”
Additionally, National Public Radio (NPR) gave an update to the situation as of Sept. 12, 2025: “National Guard troops will remain in Washington, D.C., despite the end of the 30-day emergency declared by President Trump that allowed him to take control of the police force in the capital.” The end of the 30-day emergency would have been Sept. 11.
Multiple states offered their National Guard troops before Louisiana, including Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia. Tennessee joined later.
Landry spoke of his decision on social media, stating, “We cannot allow our cities to be overcome by violence and lawlessness. I am proud to support this mission to return safety and sanity to Washington D.C. and cities all across our country, including right here in Louisiana.”
Some concern regarding safety has been raised around the timing of the decision. Peak hurricane season in Louisiana is from August to October, and the Louisiana National Guard plays an integral role during floods and devastation.
In the past, the National Guard has been the first responder to affected areas, largely due to their proximity.
With the cuts made to FEMA earlier this year, the deployment to D.C. calls into question the efficiency during this season, should emergency measures need to be taken.
However, because there are roughly 11,500 members of the Louisiana National Guard, the number being sent to D.C. may not have a large impact on response time and efficacy.
Jan Moller, the executive director of Invest in Louisiana, a Louisiana-centered think tank, said, “It’s currently the height of hurricane season in Louisiana, and our National Guard soldiers are needed at home – not deployed as political props in a city where they aren’t wanted.”
Some Louisiana residents worry about the response. Taylor Soileau, a sophomore psychology major, shared her thoughts on the situation. She shared that she does not believe there is a real necessity, “He’s insisting that cities are crime ridden and need the National Guard when they don’t.”
Of the Louisiana deployment, Soileau noted her concern. She said, “We need the National Guard here, especially during [this] time to help with hurricane season and the things going on in our own state. So, I think sending that many people away from your own state is negatively affecting the people that live there.”
Other concerns have to deal with the action of sending the National Guard to D.C. as an attack on D.C.’s autonomy.
While Louisiana sent the National Guard to D.C., leaked Pentagon documents outline the Trump administration’s plans to send 1,000 National Guard troops to Louisiana.
The planning documents involve allowing the military to act as they are in D.C., stepping in to supplement the law enforcement of cities such as Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
According to Reuters, a spokesperson for the Pentagon did not give a detailed response, but did say, “Leaked documents should not be interpreted as policy.”