Appeals Court Questions Indefinite National Guard Patrols in Washington

Appeals judges questioned whether the ongoing National Guard presence in Washington can continue indefinitely.

A federal appeals court panel is reviewing the ongoing presence of thousands of National Guard troops patrolling Washington, D.C. Government attorneys defended the president's broad authority to maintain the deployment during oral arguments. The troops have remained stationed in the nation's capital for over a year.

• The panelThree judges questioned whether presidential deployment powers can extend indefinitely without clear statutory limits.
• The defenceA government lawyer argued that executive authority covers the extended mission to maintain public safety in the capital.