What to Know as Trump Activates National Guard, Takes Control of DC Police

WASHINGTON—On Aug. 11, President Donald Trump federalized control over the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and ordered 800 National Guard troops to be activated in the nation’s capital.

“I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor, and worse,” Trump said at a White House press briefing. “This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back.”

As the president spoke, he compared the crime rate in the nation’s capital to those of some of the most crime-ridden cities around the world, including Baghdad, Mexico City, and Bogotá, Colombia.

In addition to federalizing local police and calling up National Guard troops, the Trump administration has surged about 500 federal law enforcement personnel to assist with the efforts in Washington.

During his press conference, Trump compared this new law enforcement crackdown in the District of Columbia to his administration’s existing efforts to secure the United States’ southern border.

According to a report recently published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, June had the lowest number of border enforcement encounters in recorded history, “just a fraction of what they were under the previous administration.”

Previewing his actions in an Aug. 10 post on Truth Social, Trump vowed that criminals would be jailed and homeless encampments cleared. He said the homeless would be given places to stay “far from the capital.”

DC Crime Rates

During his press conference announcing the law enforcement crackdown in Washington, Trump said the number of carjackings there is triple what it was five years ago and that the number of car thefts is double what it was five years ago. He also said that the annual number of homicides reached a record high in 2023.

“Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs, and homeless people,” Trump said. “And we’re not going to let it happen anymore.”

Reinforcing the president’s message of a city awash in crime, the White House’s rapid response X account published graphics showing the city’s homicide rate at 27.54 per 100,000 in 2024. Bogotá had a homicide rate of 15.1 per 100,000 during that same period, and Mexico City had a homicide rate of 10.6 per 100,000.

Although the U.S. capital’s crime rate remains high, recent statistics indicate it has been on the decline.

Crime statistics released by the MPD indicate that the overall crime rate fell by 15 percent from 2023 to 2024, with homicide down 32 percent, all violent crime down 35 percent, and all property crimes down 11 percent.

Following Trump’s announcement, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote in a post on X that “the Administration’s actions are unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful.”

“There is no crime emergency in the District of Columbia,” he said. “Violent crime in DC reached historic 30-year lows last year, and is down another 26% so far this year.”

At an Aug. 11 press briefing, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the president’s announcement was “unsettling and unprecedented” but said she wasn’t entirely surprised by the move.

Bowser said Schwalb was reviewing the legal matters surrounding Trump’s announcement.

800 Troops, for Now

Trump’s initial plan is to call upon about 800 troops, primarily assigned to the D.C. National Guard, to support a force of about 3,000 officers currently working with the MPD.

“I’m deploying the National Guard to help re-establish law and order and public safety in Washington, D.C., and they’re going to be allowed to do their job properly,” Trump said.

Although about 800 National Guard troops will initially be called up for this task, Trump said he’s prepared to call upon “much more, if necessary.”

The Epoch Times reached out to the D.C. National Guard for further details about the planned troop activation and what authorities these National Guard troops would have for the announced mission. The D.C. National Guard did not respond by publication time.

A federal law known as the Posse Comitatus Act limits the use of active duty armed forces and federalized National Guard for domestic law enforcement purposes. Some limited authorities, including the Insurrection Act, allow a president to commit federalized troops to domestic law enforcement purposes.

Earlier this year, Trump ordered about 4,700 U.S. troops to Los Angeles to protect federal property amid protests and riots against federal immigration enforcement efforts in the area. Most of those troops have since been recalled, but about 250 National Guard troops remain assigned to the task.

The Los Angeles troop deployment has faced legal challenges. A three-day non-jury trial was slated to begin in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Aug. 11 to consider the legality of the president’s troop deployment.

Limited Police Takeover Authority

Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973 allows a president to federalize the MPD for up to 48 hours before he must notify Congress of any further plans to federally control the police department.

After the first 48 hours of federal control over the MPD, the president may extend federal control over the police department for up to 30 days. After this 30-day limit is reached, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives must enact a joint resolution for the president to be able to extend federal control over the police department.

Congress is currently in recess and is not scheduled to return to work until Sept. 2.

Trump said on Aug. 11 that Attorney General Pam Bondi is “taking command of the Metropolitan Police Department” and that current Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole will serve as the interim federal commissioner of the MPD.

Speaking with reporters, Bowser said she had a brief phone call with the White House over the weekend to discuss the National Guard activation, but she said they didn’t give her advanced notice about the plans to federalize control over the MPD.

Congressional Democrats are already raising opposition to the Trump administration’s exertion of control over the department.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a post on X: “Donald Trump has no basis to take over the local police department. And zero credibility on the issue of law and order.”

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) announced on Aug. 11 that he would introduce a resolution to reverse Trump’s emergency actions and restore full home rule authority back to Bowser and the Council of D.C.

Jackson Richman contributed to this report.