On August 11, US President Donald Trump announced the deployment of 800 National Guard soldiers to Washington D.C and temporarily took over the Capital Police Department, citing a "public security emergency".
The move bops the role of the city's elected leaders, marking an unprecedented recent move to expand the White House's executive power.
Trump insists the takeover is necessary to rescue Washington from the wave of violent crime he described as being caused by dangerous gangs. Our capital has been occupied by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, he said at a press conference at the White House.
Washington, D.C, experienced a serious crime wave in 2023, but according to federal data and the City Police Department, violent crimes fell 35% in 2024 and continued to fall by 26% in the first seven months of 2025 - the lowest level in more than three decades.
Washington Mayor D.C Muriel Bowser said she and the city would work with the federal government, but continued to deny allegations of rampant crime. City Attorney Brian Schwalb called Mr Trump's actions "illegal" and said he was considering countermeasures.
Trump cited a provision in the Home Rule Act that would allow the president to take over the D.C police force for 30 days when urgent conditions exist.
This is the second time Trump has sent troops to a Democratic-led city this summer, following the Coast Guard sending to Los Angeles in June that is currently being prosecuted in federal court in San Francisco.
The US military said the National Guard soldiers will provide administrative and logistical support and ensure a presence on the streets to assist in law enforcement, with about 100-200 soldiers rotating directly with the police. Chief Prosecutor General Pam Bondi will oversee the operations of the capital's police force during this time.
Hundreds of staff from more than a dozen federal agencies have been deployed across Washington in recent days. Mr. Trump also announced that he would move the tents of homeless people, although he did not give details about the relocation plan.
Speaking last week, Trump said the same measure could be applied to Democratic-run cities such as Chicago and Baltimore, which he mentioned repeatedly when talking about urban crime. He called Chicago a disaster and warned Los Angeles should pay attention.
The President's authority over the National Guard in the capital is much broader than that of states where governors typically hold a monopoly. The deployment of soldiers in the capital has occurred in many major events, including the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and protests against police violence in 2020.
However, Trump's immediate takeover of the police force and imposition of a state of emergency this time is seen as a significant escalation, reflecting the "law and order" strategy he pursued during his second term, despite much legal and political controversy.
