Trump Takes Over D.C. Police and Deploys National Guard in Nation’s Capital in Unprecedented Power Grab

President Donald Trump is escalating his war with Washington, D.C., government by taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deploying the National Guard in the U.S. capital.

The president announced his aggressive new plan to fight crime and target homeless populations in Washington during a press conference on Monday, Aug. 11, including putting Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s Justice Department in charge of the D.C. police.

“Today we’re formally declaring a public safety emergency,” he said. “It’s embarrassing for me to be up here. I don’t like being up here talking about how unsafe and how dirty and disgusting this once-beautiful capital was.”

He said that in addition to bringing in members of the National Guard to help patrol the streets, he will deploy other military “if needed.”

Trump has frequently cited homelessness rates and rampant crime in Washington with his desire to “clean it up,” though crime rates have been substantially declining over the past year and a half. Violent crime in 2025 alone is down 26% from 2024, according to local crime data.

During the press conference, Trump claimed without evidence that crime statistics have been skewed to cover up the real extent of D.C.’s crime.

President Donald Trump is escalating his war with Washington, D.C., government by taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deploying the National Guard in the U.S. capital.

The president announced his aggressive new plan to fight crime and target homeless populations in Washington during a press conference on Monday, Aug. 11, including putting Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s Justice Department in charge of the D.C. police.

“Today we’re formally declaring a public safety emergency,” he said. “It’s embarrassing for me to be up here. I don’t like being up here talking about how unsafe and how dirty and disgusting this once-beautiful capital was.”

He said that in addition to bringing in members of the National Guard to help patrol the streets, he will deploy other military “if needed.”

Trump has frequently cited homelessness rates and rampant crime in Washington with his desire to “clean it up,” though crime rates have been substantially declining over the past year and a half. Violent crime in 2025 alone is down 26% from 2024, according to local crime data.

During the press conference, Trump claimed without evidence that crime statistics have been skewed to cover up the real extent of D.C.’s crime.

Ahead of Monday’s press conference, Trump took specific aim at homeless people in Washington, insisting that they would be pushed out of the city without specifying where they would go.

“The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote on social media Sunday. “We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong.”

Trump explained on Monday that law enforcement would be removing homeless encampments in Washington.

“Some of those people, we don’t know how they even got there,” Trump said. “Some of those people are from different countries, different parts of the world. Nobody knows who they are. They have no idea. But they’re there, getting rid of the people from underpasses and public spaces from all over the city.”

Trump’s new actions come as the president continues to express interest in federalizing the D.C. government, which would strip the city’s power to self-govern.

Washington’s current government system — established by the D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973 — allows residents to elect their own mayor and council members.

While the “home rule” gives residents stronger representation than the previous government structure, in which the city was led by a panel of commissioners appointed by the president, Congress still has significant oversight over D.C.’s laws and budget.

President Donald Trump is escalating his war with Washington, D.C., government by taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deploying the National Guard in the U.S. capital.

The president announced his aggressive new plan to fight crime and target homeless populations in Washington during a press conference on Monday, Aug. 11, including putting Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s Justice Department in charge of the D.C. police.

“Today we’re formally declaring a public safety emergency,” he said. “It’s embarrassing for me to be up here. I don’t like being up here talking about how unsafe and how dirty and disgusting this once-beautiful capital was.”

He said that in addition to bringing in members of the National Guard to help patrol the streets, he will deploy other military “if needed.”

Trump has frequently cited homelessness rates and rampant crime in Washington with his desire to “clean it up,” though crime rates have been substantially declining over the past year and a half. Violent crime in 2025 alone is down 26% from 2024, according to local crime data.

During the press conference, Trump claimed without evidence that crime statistics have been skewed to cover up the real extent of D.C.’s crime.

President Donald Trump is escalating his war with Washington, D.C., government by taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deploying the National Guard in the U.S. capital.

The president announced his aggressive new plan to fight crime and target homeless populations in Washington during a press conference on Monday, Aug. 11, including putting Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s Justice Department in charge of the D.C. police.

“Today we’re formally declaring a public safety emergency,” he said. “It’s embarrassing for me to be up here. I don’t like being up here talking about how unsafe and how dirty and disgusting this once-beautiful capital was.”

He said that in addition to bringing in members of the National Guard to help patrol the streets, he will deploy other military “if needed.”

Trump has frequently cited homelessness rates and rampant crime in Washington with his desire to “clean it up,” though crime rates have been substantially declining over the past year and a half. Violent crime in 2025 alone is down 26% from 2024, according to local crime data.

During the press conference, Trump claimed without evidence that crime statistics have been skewed to cover up the real extent of D.C.’s crime.

Ahead of Monday’s press conference, Trump took specific aim at homeless people in Washington, insisting that they would be pushed out of the city without specifying where they would go.

“The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote on social media Sunday. “We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong.”

Trump explained on Monday that law enforcement would be removing homeless encampments in Washington.

“Some of those people, we don’t know how they even got there,” Trump said. “Some of those people are from different countries, different parts of the world. Nobody knows who they are. They have no idea. But they’re there, getting rid of the people from underpasses and public spaces from all over the city.”

Trump’s new actions come as the president continues to express interest in federalizing the D.C. government, which would strip the city’s power to self-govern.

Washington’s current government system — established by the D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973 — allows residents to elect their own mayor and council members.

While the “home rule” gives residents stronger representation than the previous government structure, in which the city was led by a panel of commissioners appointed by the president, Congress still has significant oversight over D.C.’s laws and budget.