Trump announced Monday that his administration is assuming control of Washington, DCâs police department and deploying 800 National Guard members, framing the move as a public safety emergency aimed at tackling crime in the nationâs capital. The decision comes despite city leaders pointing to data showing crime is already on the decline.
Standing alongside his attorney general, defense secretary, and the FBI director, Trump declared, âWeâre going to take our capital back,â adding that the plan includes clearing homeless encampments and âgetting rid of the slums.â He also criticized the cityâs potholes and graffiti, calling them âembarrassing.â
Attorney General Pam Bondi will oversee the Metropolitan Police Department under the order, although Trump did not specify how long the federal takeover would last. By statute, control can only be maintained for 30 days without congressional approval.
For this President, the move is part of his broader hard-line approach to law enforcement, taking advantage of the Districtâs unique federal status to implement measures he says will curb crime. Critics note, however, that the plan does not address underlying causes such as homelessness, poverty, or economic inequality.
Anyways, outside the White House, aka the People’s House, not Trump’s house, demonstrators gathered to protest the move, while DC officials strongly rejected the presidentâs portrayal of the city. Mayor Muriel Bowser called the âso-called emergencyâ illegal and politically motivated, arguing it underscores the need for DC statehood.
âWhile this action today is unsettling and unprecedented, I canât say that given some of the rhetoric of the past, that weâre totally surprised,â Bowser said, making clear that she would follow the law while continuing to challenge the action.