A coalition of progressive groups is demanding that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer send 250 Michigan National Guardsmen home early from their mission in the nation’s capital.

The coalition, which includes out-of-state organizations such as NYU’s Brennan Center, is concerned that the troops are being used as part of a crime reduction mission rather than supporting America 250 celebrations.

The soldiers are slated to remain in Washington DC through August as celebrations are still ongoing, but the letter expresses concern that they were “assigned to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC), the task force that was created in August 2025 for the purpose of coordinating National Guard support to local and federal law enforcement operations in DC.” 

The JTF-DC is a part of President Trump’s ‘Safe and Beautiful’ Mission, which was started to reduce crime in DC.

The letter goes on to allege that President Trump is “misusing” troops in DC and claims that their continued presence there poses “heightened risks”.

“Perhaps most worrisome, the addition of Michigan’s Guard forces to the thousands of troops President Trump has already brought to DC threatens to normalize the misuse of the military perpetuated by this administration and allied governors,” the letter states. “That normalization poses heightened risks as we move toward the November elections.”

Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has repeatedly praised the deployment of federal assets, acknowledging that it has sharply reduced violent crime in the city while expressing reservations about the presence of National Guardsmen.

Bowser also signed an order to cooperate with National Guard soldiers in the city, establishing a ‘Safe and Beautiful Emergency Operations Center’ for local and federal law enforcement to coordinate.

Whitmer has not committed to withdrawing the troops early, but she did pen a letter to the head of the Michigan National Guard emphasizing that Michigan National Guardsmen should only be used to support America 250 celebrations.

“Please take all necessary measures to ensure the Michigan National Guard is only supporting the narrow and limited America 250 Mission and is in no way supporting the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission,” she wrote.

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