U.S. President Donald Trump alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, and Attorney General Pam Bondi. Trump announced Monday that he was deploying National Guard troops and putting the Washington police force under federal control to tackle crime in the U.S. capital.
In a dramatic escalation of federal authority, President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is placing Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploying 800 National Guard troops throughout the city. The move follows the recent assault of a former government staffer and comes despite data showing violent crime in the capital has dropped significantly in recent years.
Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, declaring a public safety emergency and transferring control of the police department to Attorney General Pam Bondi. “This is liberation day in D.C. and we’re going to take our capital back,” Trump said during a press conference.
The president’s decision has sparked fierce debate. While some residents support the increased security presence, others view it as federal overreach and question the necessity of such measures given the city’s declining crime rates. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other local leaders have voiced legal concerns, emphasizing that D.C. should retain control over its own law enforcement.
Trump also hinted that similar actions could follow in other cities, including New York and Baltimore, suggesting a broader federal crackdown on urban crime. Critics warn that the deployment of military forces on domestic soil may violate the Posse Comitatus Act and raise constitutional questions.
As federal officers from multiple agencies begin night patrols, the nation watches closely to see how this unprecedented intervention will reshape the balance between local autonomy and federal power.
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