Washington residents slam deployment of National Guard troops in US capital

Outside the busiest train station in Washington, newly deployed National Guard troops wearing camouflage lean on a huge military Humvee.

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WASHINGTON - Outside the busiest train station in Washington, newly deployed National Guard troops wearing camouflage lean on a huge military Humvee.

Wary residents and curious tourists stop to take photos, while inside the elegant Union Station, a string trio plays What A Wonderful World.

Mr. Christian Calhoun, a 26-year-old consultant who was born and raised in the US capital, told AFP that seeing the troops made him "more than disappointed - I'm furious".

"It's a lot of standing around," he added.

Declaring that Washington is overrun by crime and plagued by homeless people, President Donald Trump has deployed 800 National Guard troops, as well as ordered a federal takeover of the city's police department.

Over more than an hour on the afternoon of Aug. 14, the most that the handful of troops at Union Station interacted with the public was to let a French tourist take a selfie with them.