Trump Puts DC Police Under Federal Control, Orders National Guard Deployment
President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is placing the Washington, DC police department under federal control and deploying approximately 800 National Guard troops to the capital, citing what he described as “out-of-control” crime despite official statistics showing a decades-long decline.
Speaking at a White House press conference, Trump said Attorney General Pam Bondi would take command of the Metropolitan Police Department “as of this moment” and that Guard troops would assist with transportation, logistics, and guarding facilities. While the soldiers will not have arrest authority, a military police unit could temporarily detain suspects until local officers arrive, according to a senior defense official.
“This is Liberation Day in DC and we’re going to take our capital back,” Trump said, invoking Section 740 of the District’s Home Rule Act, which allows the president to assume control of the police in emergencies for up to 30 days without congressional approval.
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The announcement follows last week’s deployment of federal law enforcement throughout the city and Trump’s recent social media pledges to make “Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum… DISAPPEAR.” The president’s rhetoric intensified after the assault of a White House staffer earlier this month.
District officials have pushed back on Trump’s depiction. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Sunday that comparing the capital to a “war-torn country is hyperbolic and false,” noting that residents continue to open businesses and raise families in the city.
Metropolitan Police Department data show violent crime in Washington has fallen to a 30-year low, with double-digit percentage drops in homicides, robberies, and assaults this year. The Trump administration disputes those figures, citing police union claims of data manipulation.
The deployment mirrors a June operation in Los Angeles, when the California National Guard was sent to support law enforcement during civil unrest. The Pentagon and army are still finalizing details of the DC mission.
