US National Guard members deployed to Washington, DC, started carrying their sidearms on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Joint Task Force carrying out the mission told CNN. This follows a directive by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week that authorized members of the National Guard,

A majority of the National Guard troops deployed to D.C. as part of President Trump's crime crackdown will now carry M17 pistols.

The exact number of troops who would carry their weapons was fluid, but they will either carry M17 pistols or M4 rifles, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.