WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDNews) — President Donald Trump on Monday announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and the deployment of about 800 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., declaring a “public safety emergency” in the nation’s capital.
Speaking alongside Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other top officials, Trump said the move was necessary to curb crime and “take our capital back.”
Citing Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, Trump signed an executive order placing the city’s police under federal control and authorizing the use of National Guard units from other states if needed. He also said additional federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals, would have an increased presence on city streets.
Trump’s remarks contrasted with recent FBI and D.C. government data showing crime rates have fallen in recent years. He called D.C. “one of the worst places on Earth” for violent crime, saying gangs, carjackings, and homicides were “out of control.”
Bondi, now overseeing the Metropolitan Police under Trump’s order, pledged aggressive prosecutions and changes to laws such as cashless bail, which she and other administration officials blamed for crime. Patel highlighted past federal-local task force efforts and vowed to replicate them in the city.
The president also said he would remove homeless encampments from public spaces and launch beautification projects to restore the city’s appearance.
