Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has extended deployment orders for the National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. through at least February 2026, according to a new report from CNN.
The initial deployment orders were scheduled to expire at the end of November, according to the report. It was issued at a time when the Trump administration is squabbling with DC's attorney general in court over removing roughly 2,000 troops from the District's streets.
There are about 2,300 troops on D.C.'s streets, the report adds. Troops have assembled from states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia, and Alabama.
This is the second time Hegseth has extended the troop deployment orders. A senior official with knowledge of the matter told CNN that the previous extension "was largely intended to ensure the continuity of benefits for service members and their families."