Fort Bragg soldiers deployed to Washington as Trump considers using US military to quell protesters

WASHINGTON (WTVD) -- Combat trained soldiers from Fort Bragg have been deployed to Washington D.C. as a precaution following multiple days of protests.

President Donald Trump announced Monday that he would consider using the U.S. military to stop protesters. That announcement came after some of the protests turned violent, resulting in damage to property.

The 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg was moved to the D.C. area Monday night, according to a U.S. official.

The unit is made up of active duty combat infantry troops. They are currently stationed outside the city in a standby role.

The official said the National Guard remains the leading force for crowd control in the D.C. area, but the 82nd Airborne was moved closer in order to speed up response time, if needed.

This comes after Trump reportedly spent an hour in a White House bunker designed for protection during a terrorist attack. The president was in the bunker as protesters gathered outside the White House on Friday night.