In a surprising move, President Donald Trump announced during a recent news conference that he is temporarily taking control of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department to combat what he describes as a surge in crime.
The announcement was made during a lengthy, 78-minute discourse, where Trump stated, “I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse.” He was accompanied by US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who will oversee the Metropolitan Police Department while it is under federal control.
“This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back,” Trump proclaimed emphatically. He invoked the authority granted to him by the Home Rule Act of 1973, stating, “Under the authorities vested in me as the President of the United States, I’m officially invoking section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act… and placing the DC Metropolitan and Police Department under direct federal control.” Alongside this move, he also announced the deployment of 800 National Guard troops to support law enforcement efforts in the city.
Trump emphasized the need for immediate action, saying, “I’m deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order and public safety in Washington, DC, and they’re going to be allowed to do their job properly.” Moreover, he outlined plans to address homelessness in the capital, although specifics about this initiative were not elaborated upon.
The Home Rule Act of 1973 is significant in understanding Trump’s current actions. This law granted Washington, DC the ability to self-govern for the first time, allowing residents to elect a mayor and a city council. However, the Act also provides the President the authority to take control of the city’s police force under special emergency conditions.
This is not the first time Trump has threatened such a takeover; he previously hinted at it in 2020 during nationwide protests following the killing of George Floyd. This recent measure, according to Trump, is due to what he perceives as an escalation in violent crime within the city.
Meanwhile, Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has made it clear that she believes the city maintains control over its police department. “Let me be clear. Chief Pamela Smith is the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, and its 3,100 members work under her direction,” Bowser asserted. She further stressed, “Nothing about our organizational chart has changed,” refuting any notion that federal authorities hold sway over local law enforcement.
The specifics of the National Guard’s deployment were also disclosed in a statement from the US Army, indicating that between 100-200 soldiers would be supporting law enforcement efforts. Their role would encompass various duties, ranging from administrative tasks to maintaining a physical presence to aid local police.
Importantly, the National Guard will operate under Title 32 status, which allows them to provide support while remaining under local control and funded by the federal government. This status exempts them from restrictions outlined in the Posse Comitatus Act, which normally prohibits active duty military personnel from engaging in law enforcement activities.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the National Guard would enter Washington, DC imminently. It was also noted that the deployed troops would likely not be armed with rifles in plain view as they patrol the streets, instead keeping their weapons accessible for self-defense if required.
Hegseth mentioned the Pentagon’s readiness to deploy additional specialized National Guard units if necessary, although specifics on this were not provided. When questioned about whether the National Guard would assist in clearing out the city’s homeless population, he reiterated that their primary role is to support local law enforcement efforts.
The reasoning behind Trump’s drastic measures stems from his assertion that rising crime in the nation’s capital presents an emergency situation. The executive order states that this emergence poses a threat to public servants, citizens, and tourists, disrupting safe transportation and the Federal Government’s operation.
The declaration paints a stark picture of Washington, DC, stating, “The magnitude of the violent crime crisis places the District of Columbia among the most violent jurisdictions in the United States.” It assigns the attorney general the responsibility to routinely update the President about the continued state of emergency in the District.
Media reports indicate that the move was likely spurred by a recent incident involving Edward Coristine, a former Department of Government Efficiency staffer. The youth faced an attack by ten teenagers; two of whom have since been arrested and charged with the crime.
Trump shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, “If DC doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City and run this City how it should be run.” He lamented that perhaps such measures should have been taken earlier to prevent young citizens from experiencing violent crime.
Critics of Trump’s approach have labeled his decision as a political maneuver to deflect attention from other pressing issues, such as the Epstein case and ongoing trade disputes. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the action as a “political ploy” and an “attempted distraction” from matters surrounding the President’s various scandals.
On the other hand, Mayor Bowser voiced skepticism about the effectiveness of invoking federal control over local police forces, suggesting instead that increased funding for prosecutors could yield more substantive impacts on crime.
In a recent press conference, she remarked, “It is true that those were more challenging times related to some issues. It is also true that we experienced a crime spike post-COVID, but we worked quickly to put laws in place and tactics that got violent offenders off our streets and gave our police officers more tools.”
Bowser also maintained that violent crime in the district is now at a 30-year low.
The city’s crime statistics themselves have been under scrutiny following allegations that some figures were manipulated to present a more favorable account of public safety. Nevertheless, Bowser has defended the integrity of the crime data.
In fact, according to a January report from the Department of Justice, violent crime in Washington, DC has decreased by 35 percent between 2023 and 2024. Furthermore, preliminary data for 2025 suggests that this declining trend is likely to persist.
City records indicate a 12 percent reduction in homicides and a 20 percent drop in assaults involving dangerous weapons since the previous year, supporting Bowser’s assertions that crime is indeed on the decline.
As the situation unfolds, the community’s response to Trump’s federal intervention remains uncertain, but it has certainly sparked a considerable discussion about the current state of safety in the capital and the efficacy of federal versus local governance.
image source from：aljazeera
