Trump’s Deployment of National Guard Sparks Concern Among Pitt-Greensburg Students

On Aug. 12, the National Guard was deployed to back the police presence in D.C. following an executive order issued by President Trump, who cited concern over the capital’s safety. The city’s police were put under the jurisdiction of the federal government. 

Today, more than 2,000 members of the National Guard patrol the streets of D.C.. Pitt-Greensburg who have family that live and work in D.C. are expressing their concerns. 

“I think nobody really knows what to do,” says Alanna Moore, a sophomore criminal justice major. “You don’t want to call the cops who are supposed to be the people protecting you when they’re also the ones harming you, right?” 

On Sept. 4, D.C. sued the Trump administration, calling the national guard’s presence in the capital “a military occupation.” The militarization of D.C.—whether it be an occupation or otherwise—raises concerns from Pitt-Greensburg students originally from the area. 

Madison Taylor, a senior psychology major, says, “I’ve never gone into DC and felt scared for my life. But now it’s like: do I even want to go into the city that I grew up in?” 

Washington, D.C., is an area heavily populated by students seeking an education and career in political science. Dr. Dakota Strode, an assistant professor of political science at Pitt-Greensburg, advises caution for everyone living or visiting the capital. 

“I think it’s important to stay hyper-vigilant of your surroundings,” he says. “Follow the law to the best of your knowledge.” 

With Trump threatening to deploy national forces in other major cities like Los Angeles and Chicago, for many students, the turbulent state of D.C. is an unprecedented one.  

“It is very frightening for people to see the National Guard or other sorts of militarized officials on the streets with you,” Dr. Strode says. “This is not common for your generation. This is something new.” 

With armed forces patrolling the streets of D.C., and students worried about their future and their families’ safety, frustrations are reaching a fever pitch. 

“We were promised the chance to make this country what it should be, help it live up to its potential,” Moore says. “We shouldn’t have to hold our tongues, waiting, because the President wants to play the big man in Monopoly and own the boardwalk. That’s just not how life should work.”