Trump Announces Federal Takeover of Washington, D.C. to Crack Down on Crime

Donald Trump has announced sweeping measures to bring Washington, D.C. under federal control, vowing to deploy the military, federal law enforcement, and the National Guard in what he described as a crackdown on violent crime.

Speaking at the White House on Monday, the U.S. president said he intends to place the D.C. Metropolitan Police directly under federal authority, calling the move a decisive step to restore order in the capital. “This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back,” Trump declared.

The city — overwhelmingly Democratic in its politics — has long faced Republican criticism over crime, homelessness, and financial mismanagement, even though recent police figures show violent crime has dropped between 2023 and 2024. Trump dismissed the statistics, arguing that police and prosecutors “aren’t tough enough” and insisting crime is “totally out of control.”

A convicted felon himself, Trump has pardoned about 1,500 people linked to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He has repeatedly threatened a federal takeover of D.C., drawing parallels to his past immigration crackdowns, which included sealing the southern border and deploying troops against protesters in Los Angeles. He also signaled that similar action could come to other cities he described as “crime-ridden,” naming New York and Chicago.

Washington, unlike U.S. states, operates under a unique arrangement with the federal government. While the Home Rule Act of the 1970s allows residents to elect local leaders, Congress retains broad powers over the city’s budget and governance.

Ahead of his announcement, Trump posted on social media about his plan to “stop violent crime” and dismantle homeless encampments. He has already signed an order making it easier to arrest homeless individuals and on Sunday ordered them to “move out” of the capital, promising “places to stay” but “FAR from the Capital.” He vowed that criminals would be jailed and that these changes would happen “very fast.”