US: Trump Puts D.C. Police Under Federal Control, Deploys National Guard



President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he is placing the District of Columbia’s Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control, citing what he described as a severe public safety emergency and a wave of lawlessness in the nation's capital. In a White House press conference, the president also ordered the deployment of the D.C. National Guard to support the federal takeover and address what he called "slums" and homeless encampments.


The move, which President Trump referred to as "Liberation Day," has sparked immediate controversy and strong opposition from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other local leaders. They argue that the president's actions are unnecessary and not supported by official data. According to a U.S. Department of Justice report released earlier this year, violent crime in Washington, D.C., hit a 30-year low in 2024, with homicides down 32% and armed carjackings down 53% compared to the previous year. Preliminary data for 2025 also indicates a continued downward trend in violent crime.


President Trump, however, countered these statistics during his press conference, painting a picture of a city in chaos and mentioning a recent attack on a federal employee as a justification for his intervention. He claimed that the city's crime rate was higher than that of major international cities and that local authorities were failing to maintain order. The President's authority for this action stems from a specific provision in the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973. This law gives the president the power to take control of the city’s police force for up to 30 days during "special conditions of an emergency nature."


The D.C. National Guard is uniquely positioned to be deployed by the President without the mayor's approval, as its command chain runs directly to the President, not to the local city government or a state governor. This makes it the only National Guard unit in the country to report exclusively to the President. The administration has reportedly deployed approximately 800 National Guard troops, along with 500 federal agents from agencies including the FBI, ATF, and U.S. Marshals, to patrol the city.


D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb and Mayor Bowser have both condemned the action, with Schwalb calling it "unnecessary and unlawful" and stating that his office is considering "all of our options" to protect the rights and safety of city residents. Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, has announced plans to introduce a bill to overturn the president's actions, while Republican leaders like House Speaker Mike Johnson have voiced support for the federal takeover.


The president's actions have opened a new chapter in the ongoing debate over the District’s autonomy and its relationship with the federal government. The Home Rule Act, while granting the city some self-governance, still leaves ultimate legislative and budgetary authority with Congress and provides the President with this specific, limited power in times of crisis. The current situation highlights the tension between local control and federal oversight in the nation's capital.

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