Appeals Court Allows National Guard to Remain in D.C., for Now NYT | Top Stories By: Zach Montague 18 December 2025 at 00:15 A three-judge panel voted unanimously to allow troops to stay in the capital for the duration of the appeal, citing the city’s unique legal status. © Kenny Holston/The New York TimesNational Guard troops in Washington in August. A lower court judge had ordered that the troops be removed from the city, but the appeals court previously stayed the ruling while it considered the matter.