President Donald Trump appeared to abandon his plans to join the National Guard and police to patrol in Washington D.C., in favor of a meet-and-greet with law enforcement on Thursday evening.
It’s not clear if security concerns prompted the change of plans but a source told CNN that the Secret Service had been caught off guard by Trump’s patrol announcement earlier today.
Trump arrived at a Park Police facility in Southeast Washington, D.C. at around 5.20 p.m. where he addressed a crowd of guardsmen and law enforcement.
He was joined by Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
What To Know
Trump announced he was joining law enforcement on patrol in Washington D.C. tonight, during a radio interview Thursday morning.
Instead, he held the meet-and-greet which featured stacks of pizzas and burgers for the officers. Trump told them that the latter had been cooked by the White House, while the pizzas “are from a good place.”
The president praised the military and law enforcement for their part in his federal crackdown on crime in the capital.
“You people are winners, and I just think it’s such an honor to be with you. We’re going to make Washington, D.C. great again,” he told the crowd. “We’ll always be with you. We’re going to be with you for as long as I’m around.”
Trump spent around 30 minutes at the event, before returning to the White House.
Newsweek’s live blog is closed.
08:09 PM EDT
Secret Service was caught off guard by Trump’s patrol announcement: Report
The Secret Service had been caught off guard by President Donald Trump’s announcement, earlier Thursday, that he was planning to join the National Guard and local and federal law enforcement on patrol in Washington D.C., a source told CNN.
Some members of the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, who handle presidential movements, do not appear to have been aware he was planning on making the announcement.
Trump does not appear to have followed through with his plans to go on patrol, instead choosing to attend a 30-minute meet-and-greet with military members and law enforcement at a Park Police facility instead.
It’s not clear if security concerns prompted the change of plans.
08:05 PM EDT
Trump told law enforcement and military event he was there to thank National Guard
President Donald Trump told the 300 gathered military members, police officers and members of law enforcement that he was at Thursday’s event to thank the National Guard.
“We’re going to have the best capital ever,” Trump said. “It’s going to look better than it ever did.”
The president added that the guardsmen had been helping to reduce crime in the city, and talked about efforts to improve D.C. including removing graffitti and repairing roads.
08:00 PM EDT
Trump pays Kristi Noem an unusual compliment
During his meet-and-greet with law enforcement, President Donald Trump thanked several of his Cabinet members who had joined him for the event.
But when it came to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Trump had a rather unusual compliment.
“Where’s my Kristi? Trump asked, “She’s been incredible and she can ride a horse like nobody. She gets on those horses, she whips the horses around.”
07:55 PM EDT
WATCH: Trump vows to redo DC parks with ‘beautiful grass’
07:48 PM EDT
Bondi said law enforcement had asked her if they’d get to meet the president
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that she had been asked by federal law enforcement if they would get to meet President Donald Trump.
“I’m getting to know everyone on a first name basis,” Bondi said during the law enforcement event on Thursday.
“They’re out here working midnights every night.”
07:04 PM EDT
Trump says he will expand federal crackdown in Washington DC
President Donald Trump said Thursday he plans to expand the law enforcement and military crackdown in Washington, D.C. to other major cities.
Appearing at a Park Police facility on Thursday evening to address the National Guard and police, he said, “We’re going to make it safe, and we’re going to then go on to other places, but we’re going to stay here for a while.
06:54 PM EDT
What did Trump say about his plans to ‘patrol’ with police, military?
President Donald Trump told conservative radio host Todd Starnes on Thursday that he planned to join D.C. police and National Guard members as they patrolled the capital on Thursday.
“I’m going to be going out tonight, I think with the police and with the military, of course,” the president said. “So we’re going to do a job — the National Guard is great, they’ve done a fantastic job.”
“President Trump tells me that he’s going out on patrol tonight with DC law enforcement and the military,” Starnes later posted on X.
Trump has a history of making surprise appearances, including riding in a garbage truck and working in a McDonald’s on the campaign trail.
Speculation was rife that Trump might oversee clearing a homeless encampment or even the apprehension of suspects after his patrol announcement.
However, it appears Trump’s “patrol” may be limited to his speech to law enforcement.
JUST IN: President Trump tells me that he’s going out on patrol tonight with DC law enforcement and the military. Listen to my full interview with the president at 12P ET on The Todd Starnes Show. Listen on more than 170 radio stations or https://t.co/C4rDVyY4gT or on our social…
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) August 21, 2025
06:44 PM EDT
Hegseth meets National Guard at DC Armory, praises ‘brave warriors’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with the National Guard at the Washington D.C. Armory on Thursday, as President Donald Trump said he would be joining law enforcement for a Thursday night patrol.
“God bless these brave men and women who are protecting our nation’s capital,” Hegseth said on X, after the event, alongside pictures of himself shaking the hands of of the guardsmen.
God bless these brave men and women who are protecting our nation’s capital.
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) August 21, 2025
06:31 PM EDT
Trump wraps up law enforcement event and returns to the White House
President Trump has already headed back to the White House after hosting an event with law enforcement and grabbing a slice of pizza.
Following his speech, he got back into the presidential vehicle, the Beast, and his motorcade departed.
Trump arrived back at the White House at around 6.10 p.m. ET via the residence entrance.
06:23 PM EDT
Trump officials lay on burgers and pizzas for gathered military and law enforcement
Trump addressed a crowd of gathered National Guard, police officers and federal law enforcement on Thursday night after announcing he planned to join them on patrol in Washington D.C.
Officials laid on stacks of pizzas and burgers for the officers, with Trump telling them that the latter had been cooked by the White House, while the pizzas “are from a good place.”
The pizza place is reported to be Wise Guy Pizza.
06:14 PM EDT
Trump says he’s been flooded with calls praising him for DC crackdown
President Donald Trump told the gathered law enforcement officers, soldiers and press that he had been flooded with phone calls praising him for his crackdown on crime in Washington D.C.
“I have never received so many phone calls thanking me for what we have done in Washington, D.C.,” he said.
“From people that haven’t gone to a restaurant literally in four years.”
Trump: I have never received so many phone calls thanking me for what we have done in Washington, D.C., from people that haven’t gone to a restaurant literally in four years pic.twitter.com/oOt0Tbsgmx
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 21, 2025
06:09 PM EDT
Trump calls law enforcement ‘winners’ as he joins them for DC patrol
President Donald Trump praised the National Guardsmen, police and other law enforcement officers as he joined them for a D.C. patrol on Thursday.
“You people are winners, and I just think it’s such an honor to be with you. We’re going to make Washington, D.C. great again,” he told the crowd of law enforcement.
“We’ll always be with you. We’re going to be with you for as long as I’m around.”
“You people are winners, and I just think it’s such an honor to be with you. We’re going to Make Washington, D.C. Great Again,” says @POTUS to federal agents and National Guard soldiers.
“We’ll always be with you. We’re going to be with you for as long as I’m around.” pic.twitter.com/1GMzxyvdgX
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 21, 2025
06:02 PM EDT
IN PICTURES: Trump joins police, National Guard to patrol in DC
President Donald Trump speaks with members of law enforcement and National Guard soldiers, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Washington, as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Attorney General Pam Bondi listen. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
AP
President Donald Trump speaks with members of law enforcement and National Guard soldiers, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
President Donald Trump speaks with members of law enforcement and National Guard soldiers, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
05:59 PM EDT
Trump announces he wants DC parks to look like a golf course, as he joins law enforcement
President Donald Trump announced that he wanted the parks in Washington D.C. to resemble Augusta National Golf Club, in Georgia, as he joined the military and law enforcement to patrol the city on Thursday.
“Now, I think right now it’s better than it has been in years and in a couple weeks, it’s going to be far better,” he said.
“It will look like Augusta. We’re going to be redoing all of your parks. And it’s going to happen fast. It’s going to go up like a miracle,” he added.
