US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a federal takeover of Washington, DC’s police, putting them under direct federal control and deploying the National Guard to tackle crime and homelessness. At a press conference, the MAGA chief called the DC crackdown “Liberation Day” and said, “We’re going to take our capital back.” He accused local authorities of being soft on crime and promised a tough crackdown, including removing homeless encampments and sending some homeless people “far from the Capital.” Trump vowed to make the city “safer and more beautiful than it ever was before.”
Crime rates
Despite Trump’s claims, official data shows violent crime in DC has actually fallen between 2023 and 2024, recovering from a post-pandemic spike, reports news agency AP. Attorney General Pam Bondi declared, “Crime in DC is ending, and it’s ending today.” However, many Americans believe crime is rising, with a Gallup poll showing 64% think crime increased in 2024.“The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogotá, Colombia. The number of car thefts has doubled over the past five years, and the number of carjackings has more than tripled,” Trump said in the conference.
DOGE official thrashed
The GOP leader’s crackdown followed a violent incident where a staffer from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was attacked during an attempted carjacking.Edward Coristine, now working at the Social Security Administration, was attacked around 3 a.m. last Sunday by about 10 juveniles near DuPont after he tried to stop a carjacking, according to police.
500 federal agents, 100 FBI agents and more
The Trump administration has deployed about 500 federal agents to Washington, including over 100 FBI agents, around 40 from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and officers from the DEA, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), US Marshals Service, Secret Service, and Department of Homeland Security.
Democratic and blue state
Washington, DC is overwhelmingly blue and Democratic, and mayor Muriel Bowser has resisted Trump’s federal takeover plan, focusing instead on cooperation around shared priorities. She called comparisons of DC to dangerous, war-torn cities “hyperbolic and false” and noted violent crime is down 26% from last year.
Challenges with homelessness and budget management
Trump also targeted homelessness as a major issue, ordering homeless people to move immediately out of the city but promising they would be given places to stay elsewhere. The city has struggled with financial management, partly due to limited autonomy; although DC has an elected mayor and council under the Home Rule Act, Congress controls its budget. Trump’s move aligns with his tough immigration stance.
Section 740 of DC Home Rule Act
Trump has invoked Section 740 of the DC Home Rule Act. The act gives the president the power to take control of Washington, DC’s police force during emergencies such as insurrections or rebellions. This authority is meant to be used only when local officials are unable to maintain law and order. The president can step in to restore peace and safety but only over the police department.