Chicago – June 30, 2026
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has warned that she will pull Michigan National Guard troops from Washington, D.C., if they are used for President Donald Trump’s crime-fighting task force instead of the America 250 celebrations. In a letter reported by NPR, Whitmer said the troops were approved only for the semiquincentennial mission and should not be counted as part of the federal “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission”.npr+1
What Whitmer said
Whitmer’s office said the 161 Michigan guard members in the capital are there for a limited, nonpartisan assignment tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. She warned that if federal commanders cannot guarantee that scope, she will “end Michigan’s support for the America 250 mission”.iowapublicradio+1
Broader context
The dispute comes as Democratic-led states have sent National Guard units to Washington ahead of America 250 events, while Trump’s administration continues to use the force for a longer-running anti-crime operation in the city. NPR reported that the joint task force says all Guard members in D.C. are under its organizational oversight, though that does not change their specific mission.
