Aug. 22 (UPI) — U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has authorized members of the National Guard who are patrolling Washington, D.C., to begin carrying weapons on duty, a Defense official said.

The new authority is expected to become effective in coming days, the person told ABC News, CNN and Fox News.

The decision paves the way for the nearly 2,000 troops mobilized in the district to expand their operations, including possible security patrols in neighborhoods that struggle with crime.

“At the direction of the Secretary of Defense, [Joint Task Force]-DC members supporting the mission to lower the crime rate in our nation’s capital will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training,” the official said.

President Donald Trump visited with National Guard personnel Thursday and suggested the military would be playing a larger role in law enforcement in the city.

“You got to be strong, you got to be tough,” Trump told Guard personnel at the U.S. Park Police Anacostia Operations Facility. “You got to do your job. Whatever it takes to do your job.”

Though they will carry weapons, they will not be able to make arrests. They will still be under orders to temporarily detain people if needed before transferring them to law enforcement as soon as possible.

“The D.C. National Guard remains committed to safeguarding the District of Columbia and serving those who live, work, and visit the District,” the official added.

The move comes as other states’ National Guard members have begun arriving in Washington to be in-processed to help the D.C. National Guard.

More than 1,900 troops from multiple states have been called up as part of the mission, including from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Louisiana, and Tennessee, according to a release from JTF-DC on Thursday.