Vance, Hegseth, Miller visit Union Station amid DC crackdown

Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visited National Guard troops at Union Station in Washington, D.C., amid a federal crackdown on crime in the capital. The leaders distributed burgers to the guardsmen and touted what they described as improving public safety, even as protesters outside the station voiced strong opposition. Vance credited the federal action with a drop in violent crime in the nine days since the crackdown began, while Miller criticized the demonstrators as out of touch with the city’s needs.

Inside Shake Shack near the station, Vance told the troops, “You guys bust your ass all day, and we give you hamburgers,” adding that while it was not a fair trade, the nation appreciated their service. The interaction came as protesters in the concourse chanted slogans demanding that federal forces leave and that Washington not be treated as a battlefield. The administration’s supporters framed the visit as a show of unity and support for law enforcement, while critics highlighted concerns about federal overreach into local policing and civil liberties.

Vance defended the safety measures in place,...