Trump Puts Washington DC Police Under Federal Control, Deploys National Guard

President Donald Trump has announced that he is placing the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploying the National Guard to address crime and homelessness in the nation's capital. Trump declared this move as a necessary step to "liberate" Washington, promising to end violence and restore safety, with about 500 federal law enforcement officers—including FBI, ATF, DEA, ICE, and Marshals Service personnel—assigned to patrol the city. The president invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to justify federal oversight and emphasized that this action reflects his broader law enforcement agenda following efforts to curb illegal border crossings. However, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has expressed concerns about the use of the National Guard on city streets, noting that violent crime rates have actually decreased this year compared to 2024, and questioned the effectiveness of federal intervention without addressing root causes or filling judicial vacancies. Despite these concerns, Trump insisted that the situation constitutes an emergency requiring immediate federal action to combat crime, bloodshed, and homelessness, pledging a crackdown that could extend beyond Washington to other parts of the country.