President Donald Trump announced that he is using a law called the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to take direct control of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. This is a rare and controversial move.
During a news conference at the White House on August 11, 2025, Trump said he is sending National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to help bring back law, order, and safety to the city. He said the troops will be allowed to do their jobs without any limits.
Trump told reporters, “I’m deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order, and public safety in Washington, D.C. Our capital city has been taken over by violent gangs and dangerous criminals.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi will be in charge of the federal takeover of the city’s police.
What Will the National Guard Do?
The National Guard will help with tasks like transportation and logistics so local police officers can focus more on making arrests. This is similar to when Trump sent the National Guard to Los Angeles earlier this year to help with immigration raids, even though the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, did not want them.
Trump is allowed to take temporary control of the city’s police because of an old law that gives Washington, D.C. some self-rule. The city has more than 700,000 residents who elect their own mayor and city council.
Trump said the goal of this effort is to reduce homelessness and violent crime. “You want to feel safe when you leave your home and go to a store, but right now you don’t,” he said.
Trump’s Promise
Trump made this announcement just days after promising to take new action against homelessness and crime in the city. Washington’s mayor expressed worry about the National Guard patrolling the streets.
Recently, hundreds of officers from federal agencies like the FBI, ICE, DEA, and ATF have spread out across the city.
Before the news conference, Trump posted on social media that the nation’s capital would be “LIBERATED today!” He said he plans to stop the “days of ruthlessly killing or hurting innocent people.”
For Trump, this takeover is the next step in his plan to improve law enforcement after his strong efforts to stop illegal immigration at the border.
