President Donald Trump delivered a barrage of false claims about crime in Washington, DC, during a series of Monday comments defending his takeover of the police force and deployment of the National Guard in the nation’s capital.

Trump defended his use of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., rejecting claims he's acting like a dictator. He hinted at expanding deployments to cities like Chicago, sparking fierce backlash from Democrats.

US National Guard members deployed to Washington, DC have started carrying their sidearms as part of an intensified security posture, according to a spokesperson from the Joint Task Force. This escalation comes amid ongoing missions to maintain order and support federal law enforcement in the nation’s capital.