WASHINGTON D.C. — President Donald Trump announced today that he is temporarily placing the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploying 800 members of the National Guard—a move he described as a “public safety emergency” to “take our capital back”.
Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which allows the federal takeover of D.C.’s police force for up to 48 hours, extendable to 30 days with notification to Congress. He declared the action “Liberation Day in D.C.” and characterized the city as overrun by violent gangs, roving youths, and homelessness, pledging to clear encampments from parks.
Attorney General Pam Bondi was named to oversee the police department, while Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced National Guard and potential active-duty military deployment to reinforce law enforcement.
City officials swiftly pushed back. Mayor Muriel Bowser called the action “unsettling and unprecedented,” arguing that crime is actually at a three-decade low—a fact corroborated by data showing violent crime dropped 35% in 2024 and an additional 26% in 2025. Attorney General Brian Schwalb labeled Trump’s move as “unlawful” and announced legal challenges are under consideration.
Critics, including civil rights advocates, warned that this federal overreach echoes historical, racially charged law-and-order rhetoric used to control majority-minority cities. Legal experts highlighted concerns over erosion of home rule and normalization of federal intervention in city governance.
Sources: The Guardian, Reuters, ABC News, The Washington Post, AP News, Politico
