WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance thanked Nationwide Guard troops for making D.C.’s Union Station secure from “vagrants” on Wednesday in an occasion highlighting President Donald Trump’s militarized takeover of town’s police.
Vance was accompanied by Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, Deputy White Home Chief of Employees Stephen Miller, and an awesome present of drive that included dozens of federal brokers, Nationwide Guard troops and armored army automobiles ― in addition to protesters against the Trump administration’s crackdown.
“Free D.C.” and pro-Palestinian activists heckled Vance loudly and in vulgar phrases as he entered the restaurant, the place he thanked the Nationwide Guard troopers for his or her work and handed out espresso.
“We appreciate everything that you’re doing,” Vance mentioned. “You guys bust your ass all day, we give you a hamburger. Not a fair trade, but we’re grateful for everything you guys do.”
Trump took over the native police and deployed troops in Washington in response to a supposed “crime emergency” after native youngsters attacked an administration staffer final month. Information from D.C. police recommend crime, whereas increased than in different cities, has truly fallen considerably in recent times.
Republicans have routinely complained about homeless individuals and aggressive panhandlers at Union Station, the place many guests first enter the district, and Wednesday’s picture op appeared designed as some form of declaration of victory.
“A couple of years ago, when I brought my kids here, they were being screamed at by violent vagrants, and it was scaring the hell out of my kids,” Vance instructed reporters throughout an interview contained in the restaurant, in response to a video feed from the Protection Division.
Vance needed to speak over the protesters, nevertheless, who chanted repeatedly whereas he, Miller and Hegseth talked to reporters. Earlier than he entered the restaurant, one protester repeatedly yelled that he was a “couch fucker,” a reference to a made-up web meme that went viral final yr.
“I know that we’ve traded now some violent, crazy people who are screaming at kids with a few crazy liberals who are screaming at the vice president,” Vance mentioned. “But I think that’s a very worthwhile trade to make, because we want our people to be able to enjoy our beautiful cities.”
Miller mentioned the protesters weren’t precise D.C. residents, opposite to their repeated statements that they lived right here.
“All these demonstrators that you’ve seen out here in recent days, all of these elderly white hippies, they’re not part of the city, and never have been,” Miller mentioned.
A survey launched Wednesday discovered the overwhelming majority of D.C. residents price their neighborhoods “good” or “excellent,” and that the majority disapprove of the Trump administration’s takeover.
Exterior the constructing, legislation enforcement mounted an awesome presence. Nationwide Guard troops and large armored automobiles, Drug Enforcement Administration brokers, U.S. marshals, Capitol Cops, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police, Amtrak police and Secret Service brokers stood guard as gawking guests obtained out and in of Uber vehicles, and vacationers boarded double-decker sightseeing buses.
Nan Raphael, a D.C. resident and veteran who confirmed as much as protest Trump’s takeover of the district, mentioned she feared different states have been subsequent.
“If the capital goes down, so does the rest of the country. That’s how authoritarian regimes work. So we have to keep our city free,” she instructed HuffPost.
“This, I think, is a waste of our taxpayer money. They’re just here for a show of force, to harass, and they can’t really do anything,” she added.
Vance and Hegseth left Wednesday’s occasion as loud boos and chants from protesters echoed within the cavernous practice station.
