Trump takes over the DC Police and distributes national guard in the nation’s capital

President Donald Trump escalates its war with Washington, DC, the government by taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department and placing the National Guard in the US capital.

The President announced his aggressive new plan to fight crime and focus on homeless populations in Washington during a press conference on Monday 11 August, including setting the national lawyer Pam BondiThe Ministry of Justice responsible for the DC Police.

“Today we formally explain an emergency for public security,” he said. “It’s embarrassing for me to be up here. I don’t like to be up here and talk about how uncertain and how dirty and disgusting this once beautiful capital was.”

He said that in addition to introducing members of the National Guard to help patrol the streets, he will distribute another military “if needed.”

Trump has often cited the degree of homelessness and widespread crime in Washington with his desire to “clean it up”, although the crime rate has decreased significantly during the past six months. Violent crime in 2025 only decreased by 26% from 2024, according to local crime.

During the press conference, Trump claimed without evidence that crime statistics have taken place to cover the actual extent of DC’s crime.

Prior to Monday’s press conference, Trump specifically took goals against the homeless in Washington and insisted that they be postponed from the city without specifying where they would go.

“The homeless people have to move out, immediately,” Trump wrote on social media Sunday. “We will give you places to live, but far from the capital. Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We will put you in prison where you belong.”

Trump explained on Monday that law enforcement would remove homeless camps in Washington.

“Some of these people, we don’t know how they even got there,” Trump said. “Some of these people come from different countries, different parts of the world. No one knows who they are. They have no idea. But they are there and get rid of the people from downfalls and public spaces from all over the city.”

Trump’s new action comes as the president continues to express interest in federalizing the DC government, which would remove the city’s power to self-government.

Washington’s current government system – established in the DC Home Rule Act from 1973 – enables the residents to choose their own mayors and the members of the Council.

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While the “home rule” gives residents stronger representation than the previous government structure, where the city was led by a panel by commissioners appointed by the president, Congress still has significant supervision over DC’s laws and budget.