President announced on Monday that he was placing the Washington, D.C. police department under federal authority and dispatching the National Guard to the nation’s capital, a notable decision made despite opposition from local officials who assert that Trump is exaggerating the city’s crime issues.
Trump stated he was activating Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, a provision that grants the U.S. President the power to take control of the D.C. Police Department during “emergency conditions.” He added that Attorney General Pam Bondi would now oversee the Metropolitan Police Department.
At a press conference, Trump declared, “Dramatic action is required.”
Statistics indicate that violent crime in the capital has decreased since its peak in 2023. However, Trump presented a contrasting view, characterizing Washington on Truth Social Saturday as “one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the World.” On Sunday, Trump posted, “I am committed to making our Capital safer and more beautiful than ever. Homeless individuals must vacate, IMMEDIATELY. We will provide accommodation, but DISTANT from the Capital.”
Over recent days, Trump has dispatched federal personnel from agencies including the U.S. Park Police, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the U.S. Marshals Service for nocturnal patrols in D.C., as reported by ’s X account. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated on Monday that “other” specialized units would also be deployed to Washington, D.C., under Trump’s orders.
Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in Washington, D.C., represents an uncommon application of military power within the United States and potentially infringes upon the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits the military’s role in domestic law enforcement. In June 2020, amidst racial justice demonstrations, Trump had previously deployed uniformed National Guard troops to Lafayette Park, adjacent to the White House, to assist in dispersing protestors. Earlier this summer, he also directed the California National Guard to the Los Angeles region to suppress immigration protests.
On Sunday, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told MSNBC that Trump’s comparisons of the capital to a “war-torn country” were “exaggerated and untrue.” City police statistics show that violent crime in D.C. has decreased by 26% thus far in 2025 compared to the previous year.
Trump’s intensified focus on public safety in the capital follows an incident on August 3, when Edward Coristine, a former U.S. DOGE Service software engineer nicknamed “Big Balls,” reportedly sustained injuries during an alleged carjacking in D.C. in the early morning.
