War Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed on Wednesday that President Donald Trump asked him to send 500 additional troops to Washington, D.C., after a shooting left two National Guard members critically injured.
Hegseth said he will ask Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll to approve the deployment.
“We will never back down. We will secure our capital. We will secure our cities,” Hegseth said.
The targeted shooting unfolded shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday by the Farragut West Metro station near the White House, according to authorities. One wounded suspect, whose motive remains unclear, has been apprehended.
The two National Guard members from West Virginia were critically wounded and are receiving medical treatment at a local hospital, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed. Previously, there were conflicting reports about their condition.
Federal and local law enforcement are coordinating in the preliminary investigation.
The request for more troops comes as the number of National Guard troops has been reduced in recent weeks amid the Trump administration’s legal battle with Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb.
Nearly 2,200 National Guard troops from various Republican-run states, including West Virginia, remain in Washington, D.C., after troops were deployed to the district in August.
Hegseth signaled the Trump administration will further solidify the military’s presence in the nation’s capital following the pre-Thanksgiving shooting.
“This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful,” Hegseth said, touting the administration’s crackdown on crime. “The drop in crime has been historic. The increase in safety and security has been historic.”
Trump responded to the shooting in a Truth Social post, vowing that the suspect “will pay a very steep price” for targeting the two National Guard members.
TWO NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS SHOT OUTSIDE OF FARRAGUT WEST METRO STATION IN DC
Patel thanked the National Guard for acting swiftly to prevent further tragedy.
“We should highlight the fact that the men and women of law enforcement, [our interagency partners], the Department of War, and the National Guard executed their training with great precision today and prevented an even greater tragedy from befalling us,” he said. “These National Guardsmen are heroes, and we must pray for their safety and their speedy recovery.”