When President Trump declared a public safety emergency in Washington, D.C., placing the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploying approximately 800 National Guard troops, the swift backlash from local officials was fierce.
Broad Opposition from DC Officials
- Attorney General Brian Schwalb called the move “unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful,” noting that violent crime rates in the city are at a 30-year low. He vowed to explore legal options to protect residents’ rights.
- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton condemned the action as a dangerous overreach that threatens DC’s limited local authority.
- The DC Council, echoing this, said Trump’s move was “manufactured,” unnecessary given the city’s safety gains, and warned that National Guard members lack both training and knowledge of local law.
Police Union Offers Conditional Support
- Representing over 3,000 officers, the DC Police Union stated it recognized the need for quick action but emphasized the federal takeover must be strictly temporary, aiming to eventually return operational control to a fully-resourced local force.
DC’s response to the deployment exposes deep tension between federal authority and the city’s home-rule rights—and raises urgent legal and civic questions as the situation unfolds
About the Author
