Tensions escalated in Washington, D.C., on Thursday morning when a National Guard vehicle collided with a civilian car less than a mile from the U.S. Capitol, as troops continued deploying across the city amid President Donald Trump’s security crackdown.
The crash, which left a civilian trapped inside their car, added fresh controversy to the growing military presence in the capital.
D.C. fire department spokesman Vito Maggiolo confirmed the victim had to be extricated by emergency responders and was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, according to the Associated Press.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. However, a video posted online shows the aftermath: a massive, tan-colored armored vehicle looming over a silver SUV with a crushed side. The military vehicle towers twice the height of the civilian car — a stark visual that’s igniting backlash online.
“You come to our city and this is what you do? Seriously?” a woman can be heard shouting at troops in the video, capturing the frustration of local residents as armed military units flood D.C. streets.
Police reported that the driver was conscious and breathing, and that the injuries were not considered life threatening.
The crash occurred as an estimated 1,900 troops continue to pour into Washington — more than half from Republican-led states responding to calls from the Trump administration. The troop presence is part of a broader federal effort to reassert control over the capital.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that over 550 people have been arrested so far, and added that the U.S. Marshals are now offering $500 rewards for information leading to additional arrests.
“Together, we will make DC safe again!” Bondi wrote on social media.
As armored vehicles roll through neighborhoods and helicopters buzz the skyline, Thursday’s crash is already becoming a symbol of the uneasy line between security and overreach in the nation’s capital.
