Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth said that at the request of US President Donald Trump, he is initiating the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington after an attacker fatally wounded two employees on Wednesday.

He told reporters about this on Wednesday during his stay in the Dominican Republic, Ukrinform reports with reference to The Hill.

"President Trump has asked me, and I will ask the Secretary of the Army, to add 500 more National Guard troops to Washington," Hegset said.

He expressed confidence that this will increase the level of security in the capital.

Currently, about 2,200 National Guard troops from various states are deployed in Washington as part of the administration's efforts to combat crime.

As Ukrinform reported, on Wednesday two US National Guard members were injured and later died in a shooting on Wednesday in downtown Washington, near the White House.