President Trump has placed Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and ordered the deployment of 800 National Guard troops, citing what he described as a worsening public safety crisis in the nation’s capital.
The move, announced on August 11, 2025, transfers operational authority of the city’s police force to Attorney General Pam Bondi, with DEA Administrator Terry Cole assisting in law enforcement coordination. Trump invoked Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act, a rarely used provision that allows the president to take over the Metropolitan Police in the event of an emergency. The federal control is authorized for up to 30 days, with any extension requiring congressional approval.
Trump said the decision was prompted by a series of violent crimes, including a recent high-profile attack near Dupont Circle, which he argued reflected a broader breakdown in safety and order. “This is about getting our capital back,” the president declared, referring to the day’s events as “Liberation Day in D.C.”
Alongside the National Guard, federal agencies including the FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE, and U.S. Marshals Service will assist in the citywide effort to reduce crime. Initial plans call for at least 500 Guard troops to patrol the streets in the coming days, with additional forces on standby.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser condemned the takeover as “unsettling and unprecedented,” warning that it undermines the city’s autonomy. Critics have raised concerns over the potential impact on civil liberties, while some residents welcomed the heightened security presence.
Trump’s directive marks one of the most aggressive federal interventions in D.C.’s policing in recent history, intensifying the debate over the balance between local control and federal authority in the capital.