VP Vance visits National Guard at Union Station amid DC protests

WASHINGTON - National Guard members stationed at Union Station received an unexpected visit Wednesday from Vice President J.D. Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who handed out burgers and thanked troops for their service.

Guard visit draws protests

The visit came as protests continued over President Trump’s emergency order deploying federal troops to the District. Demonstrators shouted "Free D.C.," calling the move an un-American militarization.

Union Station has become one of the most visible posts for National Guard presence in the city, said FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick.

Mayor Muriel Bowser weighed in on new aspects of the federal plan, while some Ward 8 leaders expressed mixed views. Betty Scipio, an ANC commissioner, told FOX 5 she’s seen more D.C. police patrolling her neighborhood and wouldn’t oppose Guard support to deter open-air drug dealing, as was done in the early 1990s.

READ MORE: National Guard expands patrols to DC Metro stations amid crime crackdown

Leaders push for oversight

Police Chief Pamela Smith said she’s been in daily contact with Task Force Commissioner Terry Cole to coordinate resources. Smith added that D.C. police continue to make arrests at a pace consistent with pre-surge efforts.

Both Bowser and Smith said they stand by the city’s crime reduction statistics and are open to inquiries into the data. Still, community members have voiced concerns about transparency and accountability.

In response, D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and Virginia Congressman Don Beyer plan to reintroduce legislation requiring all federal law enforcement officers to wear body cameras and use dashboard cameras.