Frank Nez 
The Trump administration is now under fire for the Minneapolis church shooting while National Guard troops did the president’s gardening.
On August 27, 2025, MSNBC anchor and former Biden White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., sarcastically dubbing them “National Gardeners” after reports surfaced of soldiers performing beautification tasks like spreading mulch and picking up trash.
Psaki’s remarks, posted on X following a tragic school shooting in Minneapolis that killed two children and wounded 17 others, highlighted the disconnect between Trump’s stated goal of reducing crime and the troops’ activities.
Her critique, part of a broader backlash against Trump’s federal takeover of D.C.’s police, has underscored growing tensions over his militarized crime crackdown as public safety concerns have intensified nationwide.
Psaki’s Critique and the Minneapolis Shooting
Psaki took to X on August 27, 2025, writing, “When kids are getting shot in their pews at a catholic school mass and your crime plan is to have national guard put mulch down around DC maybe rethink your strategy,” in response to a fatal shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis.
The attack, which killed an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old and injured 14 children and three adults during a school mass, amplified calls for action on gun violence.
Psaki, a mother of two, used the tragedy to question the effectiveness of Trump’s deployment of nearly 2,000 National Guard troops in D.C., authorized under an August 11 executive order to combat crime.
The troops, part of Trump’s “Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” have been observed engaging in non-security tasks like landscaping at D.C. landmarks, typically handled by the underfunded National Park Service, per The Daily Beast.
Psaki’s comments echo broader criticisms of the deployment, with reports of troops patrolling with rifles, feeding squirrels, and taking selfies, raising questions about their role in addressing violent crime, per The Daily Beast.
Details of Trump’s D.C. Crackdown
Trump’s deployment, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, followed a high-profile carjacking in D.C.’s Logan Circle, prompting the federalization of the city’s police under Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act, per The Daily Beast.
The administration justified arming troops to “protect federal assets” and deter crime, but critics, including Psaki, argue it exaggerates D.C.’s crime problem, with FBI data showing a downward trend in violent crime, as noted by FBI Director Kash Patel, per MSNBC.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has expressed concerns about losing local control, stating, “I’m gonna work every day to make sure it’s not a complete disaster,” per New Republic.
Psaki’s broader critiques, aired on her MSNBC show The Briefing with Jen Psaki, have targeted Trump’s crime policies as misguided, noting on August 16 that D.C. residents, particularly in crime-heavy Wards 7 and 8, oppose the takeover.
Her comments have drawn backlash from MAGA supporters too, who highlight her residence in a $2 million Arlington, Virginia, home—described as one of America’s safest suburbs—accusing her of ignoring D.C.’s challenges, per Daily Mail.
Public and Political Reactions
On X, users like @NyraKraal amplified her post, calling the Guard’s gardening duties “absurd” amid rising school shootings.
Others, like @PolarBarrett, linked the deployment to broader authoritarian concerns, citing Trump’s flag-burning deportation order.
Conversely, MAGA accounts like @GuntherEagleman defended the troops, arguing they enhance safety, despite reports of tackling non-security duties.
Democratic leaders, including Rep. Jamie Raskin, have condemned the deployment as a violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, with a California lawsuit challenging similar actions in Los Angeles, per NewsBreak.
Meanwhile, some MSNBC colleagues, like Joe Scarborough, have acknowledged D.C.’s crime issues, noting “lawlessness was out of control” in Wards 7 and 8, per Daily Mail.
Psaki’s high-profile criticism, amplified by her platform on The Briefing with Jen Psaki (Tuesdays-Fridays at 9 p.m. ET), highlights ongoing tensions over Trump’s militarized policies, including his D.C. death penalty push and media attacks, as earlier reported by FrankNez Media.
With the 2026 midterms approaching, the administration’s ability to justify its crime strategy will be critical to maintaining political support.
Also Read: ICE is Now Recruiting Teens and Seniors in ‘Desperate Attempt’
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