President Donald Trump just made a huge move in Washington, D.C. — and people are already calling it one of the most dramatic federal takeovers in the city’s history.
On Monday, Trump announced he’s putting the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under federal control, sending in about 500 federal agents and deploying the National Guard across the city. Attorney General Pam Bondi is now in charge of the police, with backup from agencies like the FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE, and U.S. Marshals (AP News).
WHY IT’S HAPPENING
Trump says this is all about tackling crime, homelessness, and what he calls “urban disorder.” The final straw? A violent carjacking last week that left 19-year-old Edward Coristine — a former staffer for the Department of Government Efficiency — seriously injured. Trump used the attack as proof the city isn’t safe and needs a major crackdown (Washington Post).
BUT HERE’S THE TWIST…
According to D.C. police data, violent crime is actually down 26% this year, and homicides are down 12% compared to 2024 (Washington Post). City leaders say the numbers show local policing is working. Trump’s team, though, says those stats might be misleading and points to complaints from police unions about resource shortages (India Times).
THE POLITICAL FIGHT
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser isn’t having it — she says the move oversteps legal boundaries and undermines local democracy. Under the D.C. Home Rule Act, the city usually controls its own police, but Trump invoked Section 740 to bypass that (Al Jazeera). Critics are calling it more of a political power play than a genuine safety measure.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Officials say the federal presence will last at least a week, but it could go longer. The move brings back memories of past Trump-era deployments of federal forces to U.S. cities, which sparked big debates about civil liberties and militarized policing (U.S. News).
Whether you see this as restoring order or crossing the line, one thing’s for sure — the streets of D.C. haven’t looked like this in years.
