ATLANTA, Ga. () — On Friday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared that 316 members of the Georgia National Guard are set to be deployed to Washington, D.C., to support the Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC).

This deployment involves 300 soldiers along with 16 support personnel, heading to the nation’s capital in response to President Trump’s executive order from August 11, which declared a crime emergency in the city.

Governor Kemp expressed, “Georgia is honored to align with the Trump administration in its efforts to maintain the security and beauty of our nation’s capital. We wholeheartedly support public safety, and we extend our gratitude to these brave Guardsmen and women, to their families who support them, and to their dedication to service above self. Our Georgia Guard has consistently shown that they are well-prepared to carry out this mission as well as their responsibilities to the people of our state.”

The Guardsmen are not expected to have direct interaction with civilians.

An additional group of roughly 300 Georgia Guard Soldiers is scheduled to mobilize in Washington by mid-September, replacing personnel currently stationed there with Kemp’s authorization. These soldiers will begin active duty upon their arrival.