Members of the National Guard were seen walking around Washington, DC, not protecting the city from crime as expected, but picking up trash.
As seen in a video shared on Reddit, at least five members of the National Guard were seen walking around the streets of DC, dressed in their full uniforms. They wore orange utility vests over their uniforms and could be seen holding trash bags while looking around for dirt.
One officer in particular could be seen crouching beneath a tree, attempting to pick up dirt from the grass. Two others were seen laughing and talking as they casually searched for trash. A group of runners jogged past them but paid them no mind as they continued their work.
The video sparked numerous questions and outrage from users online who have concerns about the exact nature of the National Guard’s duties. One user wrote, “This is a travesty and honestly embarrassing,” and another wrote, “They missed a big piece of trash in the big white home near the mall…”
One user pointed out that it was “idiotic” to have the National Guard pick trash from places that are already clean, and another user replied, “Obviously trying to redeem their reputation. Too late.”
A user sarcastically wrote, “I didn’t realize that littering was the crime Trump was talking about. I now support this 😂.” Someone else echoed the same thought, writing, “Defending the Capitol from being overrun by squirrels and rats 👏🫡.”
Enraged, one particular user pointed out that the National Guard officers were brutally pulled out of college and taken away from their civilian jobs and families, only to pick up trash. The user further added that they were only cleaning up litter as “part of a political stunt for a tyrant.”
President Donald Trump recently increased the crackdown on crime in the country, allowing the National Guard to brandish their service weapons in public in an effort to discourage crime. The Nerd Stash recently shared a report on a video that captured members of the National Guard walking around while heavily armed. They could be seen holding on to their weapons even though there was no indication of a threat at that moment.
Rather than discouraging crime, seeing the National Guard walk around with automatic weapons has instilled fear and confusion among citizens who worry that it may lead to bigger problems. Users on social media echoed the same thought when they watched the viral video, with one writing, “I don’t see this going well. SMH.”
However, the president justified his directive by saying that he doesn’t want to be badgered by corrupt politicians whenever he attempts to crack down on crime in particular cities.
