Washington

National Guard asks DC leaders for ‘beautification’ projects as Trump says crime is gone

Published

4 months ago

September 13, 2025

National Guard asks DC leaders for ‘beautification’ projects as Trump says crime is gone

WASHINGTON – Matthew Cohen couldn’t believe the DC National Guard was offering up its soldiers to help with a neighborhood clean-up.

“To have the National Guard come to our neighborhood to help pick up litter is absurd,” said Cohen, an advisory neighborhood commissioner, one of Washington’s hyper-local elected officials in the city’s low crime Northwest.

But he could use the help.

So long as thousands of soldiers had standing orders from President Donald Trump to remain on duty in the capital, Cohen wondered, what was the harm if his community took them up on the offer?

Troops that deployed to the city in August were meant to combat what Trump called a crime emergency. Groups of camouflage-clad soldiers have since become a familiar presence, pacing the underground platforms of Metro stations in the city’s downtown, along the marble halls of Union Station and at the National Mall, home to the Washington’s popular monuments.

Soldiers have also been spotted in parks carrying out tasks typically assigned to gardeners and landscapers – shoveling mulch, blowing leaves and scooping up trash.

Now, the DC National Guard is asking city leaders if they might help with local “beautification” projects. This tender offer comes amid protests against Trump’s takeover of the city under the banner of “Free DC” and the Guard’s own assessments that its deployment prompted “alarm and indignation” among residents.

The Guard may have worn out its welcome, but soldiers were still assigned to the region.

Trump has said the ongoing military presence in the capital – coupled with his takeover of the local police force and surge of immigration agents – has made crime in the city a thing of the past.

“Over the last year, it was a very unsafe place. Over the last 20 years, actually, it was very unsafe, and now it’s got virtually no crime,” Trump said of Washington as he stood on a corner of the city’s downtown on Sept. 9. “We call it crime-free.”

Trump’s emergency declaration allowing him to seize control of police expired Sept. 10, but the National Guard deployment won’t wrap up until Nov. 30, and it could be extended further.

The takeover remains widely unpopular among Washington residents – some 80% oppose it, according to a Washington Post poll.

DC Guard accepting pitches for ‘beautification’ projects

What else could the soldiers do?

In a letter sent to local leaders Sept. 8, Marcus Hunt, the director of the DC National Guard, asked for “help in identifying projects or initiatives” where guardsmen can pitch in on “neighborhood beautification efforts.”

“While our ability to support painting is limited, our teams are well positioned to contribute manpower for clean-up and improvement projects,” Hunt wrote, according to a copy obtained by USA TODAY.

“Most importantly, we want to do this together with the community – building relationships and strengthening the bond between the guard and the community we proudly serve.”

Hunt told USA TODAY the response to the email had been “positive.”

However, local leaders in Washington said they felt torn between their constituents’ opposition to the deployment and the opportunity to recruit military help with sometimes long-neglected community projects.

Cohen, who represents a neighborhoods near American University, decided it would be OK to engage with the soldiers: “If the National Guard wants to clean graffiti or beautify federal parks in our neighborhood, I don’t think anybody is going to oppose that, even if we think it’s a silly way to get that job done and an unwise use of taxpayer dollars.”

Others were reluctant to accept help.

“Our DC National Guard should return back to their families, back to their full-time jobs. This show of force is unnecessary,” said Tom Donohue, an advisory neighborhood commissioner for part of southeastern Anacostia.

But he added, “I’d rather them do something if they’re required to be here, than stand around and do nothing.”

Anacostia, where Donohue is based, is statistically one of the highest-crime areas in Washington – roughly one-third of homicides in the past year occurred in Ward 8, which encompasses part of his region. He said National Guardsmen were to be found in his district.

National Guard sees ‘alarm and indignation’ on social media

The DC National Guard’s own assessment of social media posts about the deployment also found that relationships with community members have been rocky.

An internal media review by the DC National Guard and sent accidentally to USA TODAY and other outlets found that social media discussions of the deployment mentioned “Fatigue, confusion, and demoralization – ‘just gardening,’ unclear mission, wedge between citizens and the military.” The assessment was first reported by the Washington Post.

According to the Army, the media review emails were mistakenly sent to reporters, but the information in them is publicly available.

“Trending videos show residents reacting with alarm and indignation,” according to the assessment. It says “self-identified veterans and active-duty commenters expressed shame and alarm” about the reactions.

One DC National Guard member told USA TODAY that frustration is growing among their ranks. As a resident of the city, he sees the deployment as unnecessary, but he is compelled by lawful orders to stay the course, the soldier said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

When it came to beautification efforts, some leaders warmly welcomed the help. John Adams, a commissioner for a district in Ward 7, on the eastern side of the city, said the community would “invite and embrace” help with beautification. “We appreciate the support,” he said.

In Ward 8, which encompasses Donohue’s district, troops have already been assigned to help with food distribution at a soup kitchen, according to Donohue and a National Guard member with knowledge of the deployment.

For Donohue, a one-on-one discussion with Hunt and a later meeting with his constituents further complicated his decision. The community is “very split” on whether to accept the help, he said.

“They are our neighbors,” he said. “If they have to be here, why not utilize them?”

After all, was a helping hand so different if it came from a soldier?

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Washington

HIGHLIGHT | Lawrence Dots a Pass to Washington for a 6-Yard TD

Published

20 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

HIGHLIGHT | Lawrence Dots a Pass to Washington for a 6-Yard TD

DE Dawuane Smoot, LB Foyesade Oluokun, TE Brenton Strange, S Eric Murray, and S Antonio Johnson speak with the media after practice on Thursday ahead of the Wild Card Matchup vs. Bills.

0:00 – 2:28 – DE Dawuane Smoot

2:29 – 6:24 – LB Foyesade Oluokun

6:25 – 9:25 – TE Brenton Strange

9:26 – 11:32 – S Eric Murray

11:33 – 13:46 – S Antonio Johnson

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Washington

Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack

Published

1 day ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack

DUBAI, Jan 11 (Reuters) – Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that any U.S. attack would lead to Tehran striking back against Israel and regional U.S. military bases as “legitimate targets”, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told parliament.

Israel is on high alert for the possibility of a U.S. intervention to support a nationwide protest movement in Iran, sources said.

Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by William Mallard

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

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Washington

Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics

Published

2 days ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics

The Washington National Opera on Friday announced it is parting ways with the Kennedy Center after more than a decade with the arts institution.

“Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity,” the opera said in a statement.

The decoupling marks another high-profile withdrawal since President Donald Trump and his newly installed board of trustees instituted broad thematic and cosmetic changes to the building, including renaming the facility “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

The opera said it plans to “reduce its spring season and relocate performances to new venues.”

A source familiar with the dynamic told CNN the decision to part ways was made by the opera’s board and its leadership, and that the decision was not mutual.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said in a statement, “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship. We believe this represents the best path forward for both organizations and enables us to make responsible choices that support the financial stability and long-term future of the Trump Kennedy Center.”

Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, who was appointed by Trump’s hand-picked board, said on X, “Having an exclusive relationship has been extremely expensive and limiting in choice and variety.”

Grenell added, “Having an exclusive Opera was just not financially smart. And our patrons clearly wanted a refresh.”

Since taking the reins at the center, Grenell has cut existing staff, hired political allies and mandated a “break-even policy” for every performance.

The opera said the new policy was a factor in its decision to leave the center.

“The Center’s new business model requires productions to be fully funded in advance—a requirement incompatible with opera operations,” the opera said.

Francesca Zambello, the opera’s artistic director, said she is “deeply saddened to leave The Kennedy Center.”

“In the coming years, as we explore new venues and new ways of performing, WNO remains committed to its mission and artistic vision,” she said.

The New York Times first reported the opera’s departure.

Founded in 1956 as the “Opera Society of Washington,” the group has performed across the district, taking permanent residency in the Kennedy Center in 2011.

The performing arts center has been hit with a string of abrupt cancellations from artists in recent weeks including the jazz group The Cookers and New York City-based dance company Doug Varone and Dancers who canceled their performances after Trump’s name was added to the center – a living memorial for assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

The American College Theater Festival voted to suspend its relationship with the Kennedy Center, calling the affiliation “no longer viable” and citing concerns over a misalignment of the group’s values.

American banjo player Béla Fleck withdrew his upcoming performance with the National Symphony Orchestra, saying that performing at the center has become “charged and political.”

The Brentano String Quartet, who canceled their February 1 performance at the Kennedy Center, said they will “regretfully forego performing there.”

CNN has reached out to the Kennedy Center on the additional cancellations.

The opera said, “The Board and management of the company wish the Center well in its own future endeavors.”

CNN’s Betsy Klein and Nicky Robertson contributed to this report.

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