By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, President Trump announced major changes for law enforcement in Washington.
The changes, made via executive action, come in response to crime rates in the nation’s capital, recent shootings and assaults.
“This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back,” said President Trump.
Monday morning, the president signed two executive actions: The first is to take federal control of Washington DC’s police department under Section 740 of the District’s Home Rule Act, placing Attorney General Pam Bondi in charge. The second action is a memorandum directing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy National Guard troops in the nation’s capital.
“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.
Over the next several weeks, both residents and visitors to the capital can expect to see more federal law enforcement agencies patrolling the streets of Washington, including the U.S. Park Police, FBI and others.
The president pointed to recent violent crimes as contributing factors in his decision, including the murder of a 21-year-old congressional intern in June and the recent attempted carjacking of a former White House “DOGE” staffer.
Overall crime numbers are, however, trending down in the nation’s capital. D.C. saw a homicide rate of 27.3 per 100,000 residents in 2024 — down from just over 39 in 2023 — according to the Rochester Institute of Technology Center for Public Safety Initiatives, which was cited in a White House fact sheet. According to the same study, D.C. was ranked the fourth-highest homicide rate in the country.
Some Democrats call it a distraction. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D- N.Y.) posted a response on social media Monday.
“If this was anything other than a political ploy and attempted distraction from Trump’s other scandals, if he actually cared about the people of DC, he’d demand the House finally release the billion dollars of DC’s funding they’ve been sitting on for months,” Schumer said on X.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) also posted on social media following the announcement:
“Washington, DC is a beautiful city. DC is home to 700K people and welcomes millions every year. We have the #1 park system, fantastic public schools, and a tremendous public transportation system. And we are at a 30-year low in violent crime. It’s important for all who live here and visit to know how beautiful our city is and how proud we are of all that we’ve accomplished.”
“Here’s where we stand after today’s announcement: we will follow the law, work with federal officials, and continue the work we do every single day to keep DC safe, beautiful, and the best city in the world,” Bowser said in a separate post.
