FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 4, 2025)– Attorney General Russell Coleman announced today he joined a 24-state coalition supporting President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to support law enforcement as they take on crime in Washington, D.C. In a brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the attorneys general argue all Americans have an interest in the safety of our nation’s capital, and President Trump has the constitutional duty to keep Washington safe.
The National Guard deployment has made the capital safer. Less than 10 days after the deployment to support law enforcement, Washington, D.C. went seven days without a homicide for the first time “in a long time.” Since then, carjackings decreased by 83%, robberies by 46%, car thefts by 21% and overall violent crime by 22%.
Soft-on-crime politics and efforts to defund local police left Washington, D.C. open to a surge of violent criminals. In 2023, violent crime had risen 37% over the previous year, with homicides increasing by 25%. In their brief, the attorneys general recount several recent high-profile crimes, including the murder of an Israeli embassy staffer and his fiancé by a pro-Hamas killer, the murder of a 21-year-old congressional intern, the assault of a Trump Administration official, and the recent horrific killing of U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and shooting of U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe.
On the same day Attorney General Coleman joined the coalition to support President Trump, Governor Andy Beshear took the opposite view. The Governor’s office joined a brief seeking to end the National Guard deployment, which could throw the capital back into criminal chaos.
“Even as the Democratic Mayor of Washington recognizes that the National Guard deployment has lowered crime in DC, Governor Beshear is playing politics to undermine President Trump,” said Attorney General Coleman. “Our country is facing threats from abroad and right here at home. We need leaders who are willing to stand up to protect families.”
“Our Office joins Americans from coast to coast in mourning the tragic loss of Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and in continuing to pray for Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. We should honor their heroic sacrifice by going after the violent criminals who pose a threat to Washington, D.C. and our entire country,” Attorney General Coleman continued.
Attorney General Coleman joined the South Carolina and West Virginia-led brief, along with attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.
Read Attorney General Coleman’s brief.