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 the 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 admire all the things that you just’re doing,” Vance mentioned. “You guys bust your ass all day, we provide you with a hamburger. Not a good commerce, however we’re grateful for all the things 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 counsel crime, whereas increased than in different cities, has really fallen considerably lately.
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 kind of declaration of victory.
“A few years in the past, after I introduced my children right here, they have been being screamed at by violent vagrants, and it was scaring the hell out of my children,” Vance advised reporters throughout an interview contained in the restaurant, based on a video feed from the Protection Division.
Vance needed to discuss over the protesters, nevertheless, who chanted constantly whereas he, Miller and Hegseth talked to reporters. Earlier than he entered the restaurant, one protester repeatedly yelled that he was a “sofa fucker,” a reference to a made-up web meme that went viral final 12 months.
“I do know that we’ve traded now some violent, loopy people who find themselves screaming at children with a couple of loopy liberals who’re screaming on the vp,” Vance mentioned. “However I feel that’s a really worthwhile commerce to make, as a result of we would like our individuals to have the ability to take pleasure in our lovely 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 just’ve seen out right here in latest days, all of those aged white hippies, they’re not a part of the town, and by no means have been,” Miller mentioned.
A survey released Wednesday discovered the overwhelming majority of D.C. residents price their neighborhoods “good” or “wonderful,” and that the majority disapprove of the Trump administration’s takeover.
Outdoors the constructing, regulation enforcement mounted an awesome presence. Nationwide Guard troops and massive armored automobiles, Drug Enforcement Administration brokers, U.S. marshals, Capitol Law enforcement officials, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police, Amtrak police and Secret Service brokers stood guard as gawking guests acquired 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 remainder of the nation. That’s how authoritarian regimes work. So now we have to maintain our metropolis free,” she advised JS.
“This, I feel, is a waste of our taxpayer cash. They’re simply right here for a present of drive, to harass, they usually can’t actually do something,” she added.
Vance and Hegseth left Wednesday’s occasion as loud boos and chants from protesters echoed within the cavernous prepare station.
