President Trump announced Monday that he will invoke a takeover of the Washington, D.C., police department and activate the National Guard in the nation’s capital as the District of Columbia’s crime and appearance has becomes one of his targets.
“Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people, and we’re not going to let it happen anymore. We’re not going to take it,” Trump said at a wide-ranging morning press conference.
Under the Home Rule Act, Trump can temporarily take control of the District’s police department if he determines “special conditions of an emergency nature exist.” The president announced Monday he was declaring a public safety emergency in the District.
Crime in D.C. was down 35 percent in 2024 from the previous year, marking a 30-year low. Data from the District shows violent crime is also down so far in 2025 compared with the previous year.
Democrats railed against the action, calling it a “brazen power grab” and a “charade” and “political theater.” Mayor Muriel Bowser called the action “unsettling.”
While D.C. is the focus of the start of the week, Trump on Friday heads to Alaska for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The administration is hoping for a breakthrough in peace negotiations with Moscow and a discussion around territorial acquisitions. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine will not cede territory to Russia.
Catch up:
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