Vance dismissed the protest, saying Washington doesn't need to be freed from protesters, but from lawlessness. "I think you hear these guys out here screaming at us. A bunch of crazy protesters.

Vance and Hegseth, joined by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, were at the transit hub to meet with members of the National Guard deployed to the nation’s capital by President Donald Trump. Trump took control of the city’s police force and deployed the guard to combat what he called “out of control crime” in D.C.