While the deployment of President Donald Trump of Troops of the National Guard continued, the protesters lashed out at three of their senior officials who took some time for a photograph with the guards on Wednesday in Washington, DC, the La Unión station.
The protesters booed and made fun of vice president JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the White House Cabinet Chiefer, Stephen Miller, when they arrived at the station, located in blocks of the United States Capitol, to thank the troops. The songs of the crowd drowned the voices of the officials.
“DC for free,” the protesters shouted when three officials reached their caravan.
Vance, Hegseth and Miller stopped at Shake Shack at the station and bought and lunch for guard members.
Vance and Miller ruled out the Jeers of the protesters, who drown their press gaggle, calling them “crazy” and “communists.”
Vice President JD Vance walks to meet with the National Guard at the Union station, August 2025 in Washington.
Alexander Drago/Pool through AP
“They seem to hate the idea that Americans can enjoy their communities,” Vance said.
Vance was asked why the troops were parked in Union Station instead of parts of the city with higher crime rates. The vice president said that the station was being invaded by homeless people and visitors did not feel safe.
“This should be a monument to American greatness,” he said.
Vance added that he believed that crime statistics do not inform the full scope of the crime in the streets, however, he refused to talk about evidence that supported his claim and told a journalist that “you just have to look around.”
The event occurred at the same time as the mayor of DC, Muriel Bowser, gave a press conference on Wednesday.
