Trump Withdrawing Troops From Capital Region After Protests Calm
- D.C. mayor said federal presence was ‘inflaming demonstrators’
- Trump had threatened use of U.S. military to quell lawlessness
A demonstrator raises her hands near a line of National Guard soldiers deployed near the White House on June 1.
Photographer: Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The Trump administration announced it is withdrawing active duty troops from the Washington region, as violent protests subside and the capital’s mayor said the “extraordinary” federal law enforcement footprint in the region had inflamed tensions.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper gave a verbal order for remaining active-duty units in the region to return to their homes bases, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters at the Pentagon on Friday.