National Guard troops gathered litter while on cleanup duty in Lafayette Park in Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, during the federal deployment. (WTTG)
Destination DC, the city’s official marketing arm, reported a record 27.2 million visitors in 2024, who spent $11.4 billion, generated $2.3 billion in tax revenue and supported 111,500 jobs in the capital.
To build on the momentum, the group is pushing a "We the People DC" ad campaign that profiles 20 locals who "live, work and thrive" in the city. "Following the federal executive order… DDC acted quickly to counter the narrative and separate rhetoric from reality," the organization said in its release.
International visitation is expected to drop 5.1% in 2025 — better than the national forecast but troubling since overseas tourists stay longer and spend up to four times as much as domestic ones, the group said.
Tourism officials are banking on America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 to draw millions more.
TRUMP’S USE OF NATIONAL GUARD IN DC IS A MODEL FOR SAVING AMERICA’S CITIES
Members of the National Guard carried bags of trash while working in Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. (WTTG)
President Trump promised to "make [Washington] safe; make it smart; make it beautiful," vowing to "restore the city back to the gleaming capital that everybody wants it to be."
That backdrop makes the city’s PR campaign — and the optics of Guard troops hauling litter — part of a broader political battle over whose vision of the nation’s capital will prevail.
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The White House did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Jasmine Baehr is a Breaking News Writer for Fox News Digital, where she covers politics, the military, faith and culture.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dc-launches-we-people-campaign-while-national-guard-patrols-streets-picks-up-trash