Trump Deploys National Guard in Washington, DC, Amid Police Takeover

President Donald Trump has begun his takeover of Washington, DC’s police force, deploying 800 National Guard troops to the capital. The move comes as part of what the president describes as an urgent crime response — despite city officials pointing to steadily falling crime rates.

The first Guard members arrived Tuesday morning, just hours after Trump’s announcement. Under the plan, federal forces will oversee the Metropolitan Police Department while also patrolling city streets. While Trump claims the action will restore order, critics say it represents an unprecedented federal power grab.

Bowser Pushes Back but Admits Limited Options

Mayor Muriel Bowser called the president’s declaration “unsettling” and argued that violent crime in the city is at a 30-year low. Carjackings dropped 50% in 2024 and continue to fall in 2025. Still, Bowser acknowledged her administration’s legal limits under the 1973 Home Rule Act, which grants the president broad authority over the District.

“We could contest that,” she said, “but his authority is pretty broad.” Bowser linked the standoff to the ongoing push for DC statehood, warning that the city will remain vulnerable to federal takeovers until it gains full autonomy.

A History of Tense Relations

The takeover marks another chapter in the tense relationship between Trump and Bowser. In his first term, they clashed over military parades, federal policing during 2020 protests, and the creation of Black Lives Matter Plaza. Now, with Republicans controlling Congress, Bowser faces an administration emboldened to act unilaterally.

Critics, including Clinique Chapman of the DC Justice Lab, argue the move is about “power, not safety.” Supporters in Trump’s camp — including Attorney General Pam Bondi — claim it will end crime in DC “today.”

Legal Authority and Unprecedented Action

Section 740 of the Home Rule Act allows the president to control the city’s police for up to 48 hours, extendable to 30 days during emergencies. No president has exercised this power before, according to the ACLU’s DC chapter.

Trump has frequently used emergency declarations in his second term, applying them to issues from border security to tariffs. This takeover fits his pattern of using executive power to push a tough-on-crime agenda.

Political Context and Next Steps

Ironically, Trump’s former nominee for DC’s U.S. attorney, Ed Martin, praised Bowser’s efforts earlier this year, crediting the “Make DC Safe Again” initiative for a 25% drop in violent crime. That did not stop Trump from replacing him with Jeanine Pirro, who has called the takeover “exactly the step we need right now.”

For now, the scope, aggressiveness, and duration of the federal presence in DC remain unclear.

SOURCE: NBC News