Politics & Power

In a stunning escalation of federal authority, President Donald Trump has declared a public safety emergency in the nation’s capital, temporarily taking command of the Metropolitan Police Department and activating the D.C. National Guard. The move, which Trump says is aimed at restoring order, has placed hundreds of troops and federal agents on the city’s streets.

A Federal Show of Force

Roughly 800 National Guard members began deploying across Washington on Tuesday, many taking up posts near major landmarks and high-traffic areas. They are joined by an estimated 850 federal law enforcement officers from agencies including the FBI, DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service. The combined forces are carrying out arrests, seizing firearms, and increasing patrols in targeted neighborhoods.

Trump’s Narrative vs. City Crime Data

From the White House, Trump portrayed D.C. as being “out of control,” citing rising crime, homelessness, and a failure of local leadership. His actions echo a promise he made months earlier, on January 19, 2025:“We will rebuild our once-great cities, including our capital in Washington, D.C., making them safe, clean, and beautiful again — and we want to make this city again safe. We don’t want people coming to Washington and getting mugged, shot, killed. We’re going to stop it. Law enforcement — and they have very good police here, but they have to be allowed to do their job. We’re going to stop it. We’re going to beautify it. We’re going to make it the most beautiful capital in the world.”But official statistics tell a different story: violent crime in the District has dropped sharply in the past year and remains near three-decade lows. City officials accuse the president of manufacturing a crisis for political gain.

Pushback from Local Leaders

Mayor Muriel Bowser called the intervention “unsettling and unprecedented,” warning that it undermines the city’s home-rule authority. Critics argue that while D.C.’s unique legal status allows a president to take such steps, similar actions in other cities would face major constitutional challenges.

What Comes Next

Under current law, Trump can maintain federal control over the Metropolitan Police for up to 30 days without congressional approval. Whether the deployment will be extended — and whether the president will attempt similar moves in other Democratic-led cities — is now a central question in the unfolding political and legal battle.