In a highly unusual and tense public appearance, Vice President J.D. Vance was met with a chorus of boos and heckling as he visited National Guard troops at Union Station, an event intended as a photo opportunity to thank the service members for their deployment. The jeers from protesters, who chanted “Free D.C.!” and “This is our city,” quickly overshadowed the Vice President’s message, highlighting the deep-seated anger and controversy surrounding the federal government’s recent crackdown in the nation’s capital.
The visit, which included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, was meant to project a message of gratitude and support for the troops who were sent to Washington to assist with a controversial crime crackdown. However, as the officials entered a Shake Shack to buy lunch for the Guard members, they were met with a throng of demonstrators who made their disapproval known.
“You guys bust your ass all day and we give you hamburgers—not a fair trade, but we’re grateful for everything you do,” Vance said to the troops, who remained seemingly unfazed by the commotion.
The protesters, who have been a constant presence in the city since the federal surge began, shouted slogans and expletives that often drowned out the Vice President as he spoke to reporters. When asked about the protesters, Vance dismissed them as “crazy” and “old, primarily white people who are out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when they’ve never felt danger in their entire lives.”
The deployment of the National Guard, along with the federalization of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, has been a central point of contention in the city. While the Trump administration argues the measures are necessary to combat what it calls a “lawless” capital, critics, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, have pointed out that violent crime rates had been falling. Many residents see the military presence as an unnecessary and provocative display of federal power.
The incident is the latest example of the Trump administration’s strained relationship with Washington, D.C., a city that voted overwhelmingly against him. The clash at Union Station, a historical monument and transportation hub, serves as a powerful symbol of the divided nation, with one side seeking to impose “law and order,” and the other fighting to preserve the city’s autonomy and its residents’ rights to peaceful protest. For now, the future of the federal takeover and the fate of D.C.’s residents remain uncertain, with the protests showing no signs of slowing down.