West Virginia National Guard troops are now being sent to Washington, DC, in an escalation of President Donald Trump’s efforts to federally take over law enforcement in the city.

A demonstrator hands out signs demanding D.C. statehood during a protest in the District last year. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post) The D.C. National Guard will begin deploying in D.C.’s streets Tuesday night according to the White House,

A White House official said a "significantly higher" number of National Guard members are expected to arrive in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night. The crackdown on crime in the district comes as police data shows a 26% drop in violent offenses this year.