US National Guard members deployed to Washington, DC, started carrying their sidearms on Sunday.

Axar.az reports, citing CNN, this follows a directive by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week that authorized members of the National Guard, who were deployed as part of President Donald Trump’s anti-crime agenda in the nation’s capital, to begin carrying weapons.

The directive marked a notable shift in guidance from the Pentagon, which had previously indicated that National Guard members could be armed if the circumstances warranted.

For weeks, Trump has ramped up efforts to crack down on crime in Washington, DC, which has also included a federal takeover of the city’s police department and increased federal law enforcement presence.