President Donald Trump has declared a public safety emergency in the U.S. capital, placing the city’s police department under direct federal control and deploying 800 National Guard troops. The move, announced Monday, marks the first time a local law allowing federal takeover of Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department has been invoked for “special emergency conditions.”
Speaking alongside senior officials, including U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi — now in charge of the city’s police force — Trump described the action as a necessary measure to combat “lawlessness” in the capital. “This is liberation day in D.C., and we’re going to take our capital back,” he said.
While Washington ranks among the nation’s 10 deadliest cities, official data shows homicides have fallen sharply — down 32% from 2023 to 2024, reaching the lowest level since 2019, with a further 12% decline so far in 2025.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, pushed back against Trump’s decision, noting there has been no recent crime surge. She expressed concern over the National Guard enforcing local laws, saying it is “not their primary role” and questioning whether legal conditions for federal control exist.
The District of Columbia holds a unique status — lacking statehood, with no voting representation in Congress, and a National Guard that answers directly to the president. While Congress has oversight of D.C.’s budget and laws, the city usually operates under home rule.
Trump has long criticised Washington’s leadership, targeting its status as a Democratic stronghold. In March, he signed an executive order to clear homeless encampments, increase law enforcement resources, and crack down on illegal immigration. On Monday, he renewed calls to end “sanctuary city” policies.
Democrats have condemned the move. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote on X: “Donald Trump has no basis to take over the local police department. And zero credibility on the issue of law and order. Get lost.”
This action is the latest example of Trump using federal military power domestically. Earlier this year, he federalised the National Guard in California to address immigration issues and quell protests in Los Angeles — a deployment now facing a legal challenge from Governor Gavin Newsom, with a trial set to begin in San Francisco.
