US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the Washington, DC, police department will be placed under federal control with the National Guard deployed to enhance safety. As per reports, the decision comes as part of Trump's broader pledge to address rising crime and homelessness in the city, a plan that has already sparked concerns from the mayor about the potential use of the Guard for street patrols.
Taking to social media ahead of a press conference, Trump declared that Washington would be "LIBERATED today," vowing to end what he described as the "days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people." The President's latest step marks a new phase in his law-and-order agenda, following his hardline approach to curbing illegal border crossings. The operation will involve at least 500 federal law enforcement officers, raising questions about the balance of power between federal authorities and local governance in the capital.
Combating crime
The President has used his social media and White House megaphones to message that his administration is tough on crime, yet his ability to shape policy might be limited outside of Washington, which has a unique status as a congressionally established federal district. Nor is it clear how his push would address the root causes of homelessness and crime.
About 500 federal law enforcement officers are being tasked with deploying throughout the nation's capital as part of the Trump administration's effort to combat crime, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday.
Multiple agencies involved in patrols
More than 100 FBI agents and about 40 agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are among federal law enforcement personnel being assigned to patrols in Washington, the person briefed on the plans said. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Marshals Service are also contributing officers. The person was not authorised to publicly discuss personnel matters and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity. The Justice Department didn't immediately have a comment Monday morning.
Why did Trump take this decision?
The move is part of Trump's broader pledge to tackle rising crime rates and homelessness in the city -- an issue he has repeatedly linked to the safety and well-being of residents. While Trump frames the step as a decisive law-and-order measure, it has sparked concerns from Washington’s mayor over potential overreach and the balance of authority between federal and local governance. Trump pointed to several recent high-profile incidents, including the murder of a 21-year-old Congressional intern and the assault of a DOGE staffer in an attempted carjacking.
(With inputs from AP)
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