Trump pushes federal control over DC, sending FBI and agents to patrol its streets

President Donald Trump has taken federal control of Washington, DC's police force and sent 800 National Guard soldiers to the city streets to fight crime, according to CNN's reporting on the dramatic federal intervention. Trump said he was making this move to stop what he called violent crime and disorder in America's capital city.

The president announced these actions at a White House press conference on Monday morning, where he stood with top government officials, including the Attorney General and Defense Secretary. CNN notes that Trump has been threatening to take over DC for weeks, especially after a government worker was attacked in an attempted carjacking last week. The president said FBI agents will also patrol the streets with local police officers, which is not something that normally happens. Trump claimed the city has serious crime problems, although official numbers show that violent crime in Washington, DC has actually been going down this year compared to last year.

The federal takeover of DC police is expected to last for 30 days, which is the longest time allowed under current law without getting permission from Congress, as CBS News confirmed through White House sources. Attorney General Pam Bondi will now oversee the Metropolitan Police Department during this period. Trump used a special section of DC's Home Rule Act from 1973 that lets the president take control of city police during emergencies.

The president said this was liberation day for DC and that the federal government would take back the capital from criminals. CBS News reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the National Guard troops were officially called up Monday morning and would start patrolling Washington streets this week. Trump also said he might send regular military soldiers if needed to help the Guard troops. The president criticized what he called fake crime numbers and said the situation in DC was embarrassing, especially with his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city would follow the law and work with the federal takeover, even though she disagreed with Trump's reasons for doing it, according to The New York Times coverage of her response. Bowser pointed out that violent crime in DC is actually at a 30-year low, not the crisis Trump described. She said the president's actions were unprecedented but not totally surprising given his past statements about the city. The mayor noted that DC's police chief would stay in operational control of day-to-day police work. The New York Times reported that DC's attorney general called the federal takeover unlawful and said he would explore legal options to protect city residents.

Some protesters gathered near the White House to oppose Trump's actions, carrying signs that said Free DC. Trump suggested he might expand similar federal interventions to other cities like Chicago and Los Angeles if they don't control crime better. The president has used the National Guard in other cities before, including Los Angeles earlier this year during immigration protests.