Members of the National Guard patrol the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered them into the city. (Daniel Becerril/Reuters - image credit)

After the Trump administration deployed thousands of National Guard troops, first to Los Angeles in June, then to Washington, D.C., last month, the question has been how much further the U.S. president will go, and whether he has the legal authority to do it.

Trump has justified the moves by saying those cities are flooded with violent crime, alleging the mayors and governors are unwilling to do anything to fix it. Mayors and governors have responded by saying Trump's actions are not only unwanted, but illegal.

Trump has claimed recently that Washington is now "safe," touting the deployment as

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