President Donald Trump deployed 800 National Guard troops to Washington DC on Monday and seized federal control of the city's police department, declaring a "public safety emergency" in the nation's capital. Trump invoked the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to take direct control of local law enforcement, marking the first time in history a president has used this provision of the 1973 legislation, as the Independent reports.
"It's becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness," Trump told reporters at the White House during Monday's announcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi will lead the Metropolitan Police Department while under federal control, with between 100 and 200 National Guard troops deployed at any given time to support operations, as the BBC reports.
Liberation day declaration
Trump described his action as historic during the news conference, declaring "I'm announcing a historic action to rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse." He characterised the federal takeover as "liberation day in DC" and pledged to "take our capital back", claiming Washington had been "taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals" as well as "drugged out maniacs and homeless people".
The president emphasised the symbolic importance of the capital's condition for America's international image. "Everything should be perfect" when dignitaries and foreign leaders visit the city, Trump stated, adding that "if our capital is dirty, our whole country is dirty and they don't respect us."
Historic federal intervention
This represents the first time a president has used this section of the 1973 Home Rule Act to seize control of Washington DC's police force, the Independent confirmed. The legislation was originally designed for use during civil unrest similar to the 1968 riots following Martin Luther King Jr's assassination, rather than routine crime concerns, as the Independent reports.
Under the Home Rule Act provisions, federal control can last up to 30 days, though Trump must provide written notice to Congress if he intends to maintain control beyond 48 hours. Former President Richard Nixon instituted the act to allow DC residents to elect local government while preserving presidential emergency powers over the federal district.
Crime data contradicts claims
Official statistics directly contradict Trump's characterisation of Washington as gripped by lawlessness, as the BBC reports. Metropolitan Police Department data shows homicides dropped 32 per cent between 2023 and 2024, reaching their lowest level since 2019, with another 12 per cent decrease recorded this year, the BBC confirmed.
Violent crime in the city has reached a 30-year low, challenging Trump's emergency declaration. Mayor Muriel Bowser (Democrat) acknowledged a "terrible" crime spike in 2023 that mirrored national trends but firmly rejected claims of an ongoing crime wave, telling MSNBC "we are not experiencing a crime spike."
Local opposition emerges
Protesters gathered outside the White House chanting "hands off DC" and "protect home rule" in response to the federal takeover. Speakers declared that "Trump does not care about DC's safety, he cares about control", as local officials and advocacy groups viewed the action as government overreach rather than necessary intervention.
Mayor Bowser expressed concern about National Guard troops enforcing local laws and questioned whether emergency conditions existed. When asked about comparisons between Washington and Baghdad made by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Bowser dismissed such claims as "hyperbolic and false."
Homelessness data challenges narrative
Local organisations working with homeless populations reported progress contradicting Trump's characterisations. Ralph Boyd from So Others Might Eat (SOME) said individual homelessness was down almost 20 per cent in 2025 compared to five years ago, as the BBC reports.
Trump announced plans to remove homeless people from the city without specifying destinations, stating "we're getting rid of the slums." Boyd warned that relocating homeless individuals would merely "transfer the problem somewhere else into communities that are perhaps less equipped to deal with it."
Triggering incidents cited
Trump referenced recent attacks on federal employees to justify his emergency declaration, including a Department of Government Efficiency employee who was "savagely beaten by a band of roaming thugs" and "left dripping in blood." He also mentioned attacks on a Democratic lawmaker and an intern, declaring "this is a threat to America."
The president's actions followed recent social media posts criticising Washington DC's Democratic leadership over crime and homelessness. Trump has long complained about the city's handling of these issues and responded angrily to the recent attack on the former DOGE employee.
Sources used: "PA Media", "BBC", "Independent" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
