Hundreds of additional National Guard troops are headed to Washington, D.C., from half a dozen Republican-led states, bolstering President Donald Trump's aggressive move to flood the city with soldiers and federal agents in what he says is an effort to fight violent crime.

Five Republican governors have now deployed National Guard soldiers to Washington, D.C., following President Donald Trump's request to send troops.

The activations of external Guard troop deployments suggest the Trump administration sees the need for additional manpower, despite the president personally downplaying the need for Washington to hire more police officers.