Washington, D.C., Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) is asking the commanding general of the D.C. National Guard to keep troops away from schools unless they are specifically directed to be there.
“My office is in touch with the mayor’s office, and we have both asked the commanding general of the DC National Guard to remind his troops not to gather near schools unless explicitly directed by the Task Force or requested by [the Metropolitan Police Department],” Norton said in a statement.
Norton criticized the Trump administration’s D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, saying the presence of armed troops and federal agents near schools and residential neighborhoods has created “an atmosphere of intimidation and fear for our children and residents — not security.”
“I strongly oppose the continued presence of the National Guard and the surge of federal law enforcement in the District of Columbia,” she added.
Her comments came after National Guard troops and federal agents were seen near Bruce-Monroe Elementary School in the Park View neighborhood last week as students were arriving. A U.S. Park Police helicopter was also seen hovering over the area.
“We heard a helicopter circling overhead really low,” one parent told the Washington Sun. “Staff started to ask what was going on, and then some of the group chats in the neighborhood started posting that there’s a National Guard and FBI presence.”
D.C. officials and community members have previously spoken out against federal agents’ presence near schools.
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker told WUSA9 that troops should not be around students or teachers. He said concerns raised by the community had prompted changes and that troops were no longer permitted on school or recreation center grounds, although they remained in surrounding areas.
The issue has also prompted rallies. Parents, educators, and other community members gathered outside Wheatley Education Campus shortly before school started in August, where organizers said National Guard troops and federal agents had been staging nearby.
“The National Guard, along with [Homeland Security Investigations], which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI, were staging troops in the parking lot of this school,” said Keya Chatterjee of FreeDC, the advocacy group that organized the rally.
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The D.C. National Guard has maintained a large presence in the city since President Donald Trump activated the force in August 2025 as part of the federal response to crime in the district. As of Sept. 14, about 3,120 National Guard personnel were assigned to the mission.
National Guard officials say troops are working with local and federal law enforcement on public-safety missions, including presence patrols and support for police.