President Trump has invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, placing the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control with Attorney General Pam Bondi overseeing operations. The move also includes deploying 800 National Guard troops to patrol the streets of Washington, D.C., with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stating they will be “flowing into the streets” in the coming week.
In addition, about 500 federal law enforcement officers, including 120 FBI agents assigned to overnight shifts, are being positioned throughout the capital.
In his executive memorandum, Trump cited recent high-profile incidents, including the May murders of two embassy staffers, the June fatal shooting of a congressional intern near the White House, and the recent beating of an administration staffer by a mob. He declared that the local government has lost control of public safety, noting that Washington’s violent crime rate is higher than some of the most dangerous places in the world.
Under federal law, the president may federalize the police in Washington, D.C., for 48 hours before notifying Congress and for up to 30 days without congressional approval. Referring to the move as “liberation day” in D.C., Trump formally announced the takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department.