SC Gov. McMaster OK’d National Guard troops in DC after Army secretary request
Gov. Henry McMaster agreed to send South Carolina National Guard troops to the nation’s capital after he received a phone call from by the secretary of the Army.
U.S. Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll spoke with McMaster on Aug. 12, a day after the governor told reporters he commended President Donald Trump’s decision to call in the National Guard to help address crime in Washington, D.C.
Four days later, McMaster authorized up to 200 S.C. National Guardsmen to go to Washington.
But McMaster also said having the Guard available to respond to hurricanes is the state’s top priority, and he would call them back to South Carolina, if needed.
McMaster added the troops sent to DC were not included in the state’s hurricane plans. Hundreds of others have been designated for that role.
“General Robin Stilwell and the Emergency Management Division and others have, including our office, have planned every year for these kind of things, for hurricanes, floods, to be sure that we have the right number of people available in case they need it,” McMaster told reporters Thursday outside of the Department of Natural Resources office in West Columbia.
McMaster’s decision and Trump’s move to bring in the National Guard was met with criticism from Democrats in the state.
“Everyone should recognize this for what it is, political theater,” Assistant Senate Minority Leader Ronnie Sabb said in a statement. “This is an attempt by the president to act in ways we normally associate with our commander-in-chief, using military personnel as a tool of control. It is an abuse of the men and women who serve, and if it is allowed to continue, it will only get worse.”
But McMaster dismissed concerns that he was being used for political reasons.
“I‘m worried about the people in Washington and the District of Columbia, what people live in, their visitors, and those that are fearful of being hurt, of crime,” McMaster said. “There’s no doubt it’s gotten out of hand there.”
McMaster said SC’s troops would not be arresting people in the capital.
“They are sent there for their presence to stabilize, to be a deterrent, to be at outdoor events, to be at museums, to be at gatherings of various kinds, to be a stable, stabilizing influence,” McMaster said.
The order allows the guard to be in D.C. for 31 days, but that can be extended, McMaster said.
This story was originally published August 22, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
