Key facts
- National Guard troops were deployed to Washington D.C. for nearly 10 months.
- The deployment resulted in a 24% decline in opportunistic property crimes.
- Auto theft was among the property crimes that decreased.
- The study found no significant impact on violent crime rates.
- The stated goal of the deployment was to reduce violent crime.
A study from the Niskanen Center indicates that the National Guard's nearly 10-month presence in Washington D.C. during President Donald Trump's term led to a 24% reduction in opportunistic property crimes, such as auto theft. Despite the deployment's stated objective of curbing violent crime, the research found no significant impact on these rates. The findings suggest the troop presence was effective against certain types of property offenses but did not achieve its primary goal of reducing violent crime.