Gov. Mike DeWine announced Saturday he was asked by the Secretary of the Army to send Ohio National Guardsmen to Washington, D.C., to support the city's National Guard.
This comes after the Trump administration took action to take over the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department to combat crime in the city.
"These Ohio National Guard members will carry out presence patrols and serve as added security," DeWine said in a statement.
Over 150 military police from Ohio will head to the nation's capital in the coming days, according to DeWine.
He added that none of the military police members are currently serving as law enforcement officers in the state of Ohio.
The Trump administration activated hundreds of members of the local National Guard in D.C., saying that it's needed to make the city safe.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has repeatedly said she wants to make sure the federal law enforcement surge is useful to the city but has also railed against it— calling the president's effort an authoritarian push.
Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty (Ohio-3rd District) issued a statement Sunday night following DeWine's announcement:
I am deeply disappointed that Governor DeWine has chosen to send Ohio National Guard members to support President Trump’s militarization efforts in Washington, D.C. Let’s be clear: Trump’s actions are not about addressing crime. They are about instilling fear in our communities and distracting from the failed tariff policies, unlawful actions, and lack of transparency from this administration.
The men and women of Ohio’s National Guard signed up to serve their country, not a lawless President who has repeatedly ignored our nation’s Constitution and principles.
