MI National Guard Troops Still in DC

UNITED STATES SENATOR ANKIT JAIN CALLS ON GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMER TO REMOVE MICHIGAN NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS FROM WASHINGTON, DC

(Washington, DC)– America250 celebrations have concluded, but Michigan National Guard troops remain in Washington, DC, patrolling neighborhoods far from any anniversary event. Verified footage from Free DC shows Michigan troops stationed in Georgetown, over a mile from the National Mall – directly contradicting Governor Whitmer’s repeated assurances that Michigan’s roughly 160 troops are deployed solely to support America250 festivities. Governor Whitmer recently wrote a letter to Trump requesting that he keep the Michigan Guard separate from the “Safe and Beautiful” mission and solely focused on America250 events, but has not withdrawn the troops.

In response, U.S. Senator Ankit Jain (D-DC) issued the following statement: “Governor Whitmer keeps writing letters. She should be writing orders. Her troops are in Georgetown scrolling on their phones, working under a federal command structure built to occupy DC and make residents feel like their city is under siege, not to secure large, national events. A stern letter asking the Pentagon to please behave isn’t leadership, it’s an alibi.

If Governor Whitmer actually believed her own stated mission, she’d have brought her troops home the moment evidence surfaced that they were part of Trump’s broader occupation of DC. Instead she has let 160 Michigan troops sit under the Trump administration’s command for several more months while America250 has almost entirely wrapped up. DC residents don’t have a voice in this occupation and are tired of Democratic governors treating our streets as leverage in a political staring contest with Trump.

There are no big events left to protect. There are no more excuses left to hide behind. Governor Whitmer should send the Michigan National Guard home now. Every extra day Michigan contributes to the occupation of DC, is a day Governor Whitmer chooses appeasement over democracy.