The 800 National Guardsmen mobilized by US President Donald Trump to "cleanse" the capital of "violent gangs" have arrived in Washington, the Pentagon announced Thursday. The Army clarified that the National Guard "will not conduct arrests or searches."

The 800 National Guardsmen mobilized by Donald Trump to "clean up" Washington, in the words of the American president, are in the American capital, the Pentagon announced on Thursday, August 14.

"At this point, all 800 National Guard members have been mobilized (...) and are now here in our capital," Defense Department spokesman Kingsley Wilson told reporters. They "will assist the Washington police and their federal law enforcement partners in securing monuments, conducting neighborhood security patrols, protecting federal installations and agents" and controlling traffic, she added.

The Army, for its part, stated in a statement that the National Guard "would not conduct arrests or searches," nor would it conduct public order missions, but was "authorized to temporarily apprehend a person to prevent imminent danger." It is there to "provide a visible presence in important public places, as a deterrent," according to the statement.

These reserve soldiers "will remain on site until public order is restored in the city, as decided by President" Donald Trump, the Pentagon spokeswoman added.

"Cleaning" the city of "violent gangs"

The US president announced Monday that he was placing law enforcement in Washington under his administration's control and deploying the National Guard. These are exceptional measures for a city he says is "overrun by violent gangs" and that he wants to "clean up."

However, official statistics show a decline in violent crime in the capital.

Donald Trump had already mobilized the National Guard in California in June, against the advice of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, claiming to want to restore order in Los Angeles after protests against heavy-handed arrests of immigrants by the federal immigration police (ICE).