Declaring Monday “Liberation Day in DC,” President Donald Trump announced he will place the Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and deploy 800 National Guard troops to the nation’s capital to address what he called “out-of-control” violent crime.
“This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back,” Trump told reporters during a White House press briefing. “We’re taking it back under the authorities vested in me as the pPresident of the United States. I’m officially invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act … and placing the DC Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control.”
The mainstream media disparaged his move, with the New York Times declaring crime is not as bad as the president makes it out to be.
The president’s decision marks a rare use of federal authority to override the city’s local control of its police force, a move allowed under the Home Rule Act in extraordinary circumstances. Trump said the step was necessary after violent crime in the city reached levels he described as “shocking and unacceptable for our capital.”
The plan will see 800 National Guard members immediately mobilized to assist law enforcement operations, including patrols in high-crime areas, securing transportation hubs, and conducting joint operations with federal agencies. The National Guard deployment will remain in effect “until law and order is fully restored.”
Recent crime statistics show a significant spike in homicides, carjackings, and assaults across the District, with some neighborhoods reporting year-over-year increases of more than 50%.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a statement condemning the federal takeover as an “undemocratic and politically motivated stunt,” arguing the city’s police and public safety agencies were already working to address the crisis.
“This is about control, not safety,” Bowser said. “D.C. residents deserve self-governance, not a federal occupation.”
Trump countered that the city’s leadership had “failed its citizens,” pointing to repeat offenders being released quickly and the inability of local law enforcement to curb organized criminal activity.
The Metropolitan Police Department, now under the operational command of the U.S. Department of Justice, has not yet commented publicly on the transition.
The last time a U.S. president exercised similar powers over D.C.’s police was during the civil unrest of the late 1960s. Legal experts note that while the Home Rule Act permits such a move in emergencies, it is almost never invoked, making Monday’s action one of the most significant federal interventions in the District’s modern history.
Looks to me like it’s a similar situation to Anchorage and most other big cities. The local governments are feckless, oppose strict policing, don’t have enough prison space for criminals, oppose building more prison space, and have too many criminals (both citizens and illegal immigrant) roaming their streets. We’ve been through this countless times. Eventually, government (at all levels) will crack down on crime for a while, then lax off, and the cycle renews yet again.
Back in the 90’s when I worked there, the youths went out on the streets in broad daylight and carjacked and assaulted innocent drivers. It was called “wilding.” Mayor Marion Berry did nothing about it because he was constantly being investigated for his own criminal behavior. He finally got busted for purchasing and selling cocaine, not to mention many sexual accusations by young females. Trump is right. DC is, and has been, an out of control city.
The inevitable result of voting for the left.
Weak on crime, heavy on identity politics.
Good on President Trump for taking charge.
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Now… cue the leftist whining about how this is a dictator move. Go on, be your normal predictable selves.
The last time I was there, I was walking and turned a corner.. Immediately turned back and ran to a Metro station to dodge the brewing riot on the street I had been using it was close to the hotel my boss wanted me to use. Glad I disagreed with her, and stayed elsewhere
Weird, the Department of Justice is citing how much violent crime is down across the country, and even specifically in D.C.
‘https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/violent-crime-dc-hits-30-year-low
It depends on when those stats were published because there is a long lag time on them. It’s also a fact that many of those drops are due to under reporting or not reporting at all. It’s how Marxist cities make their failures look good.
Steve: prove it.
DC Police Commander, Michael Pulliam has been placed on leave because he changed crime stats. Numerous news agencies reported this. I am surprised someone who is so up on politics did not know.
There are over 36,000 housing units within the DC city limits that are considered ‘affordable housing’, i.e. welfare, and are owned and administered by HUD. It is disgusting that the federal government owns and operates 36,000 crime incubation units anywhere, let alone in our nation’s capital. They should all be emptied out, bulldozed, and the empty lots sold on the open market. Washington DC should be the most gentrified, crime-free city on the planet where your typical Section 8 born and raised ‘teenager’ or ‘youth’ is as out of place as a 12 foot tall green space alien.
Don’t let the real statistics confuse you, crime is down in DC but 47 is using this as an excuse to test his militarization take over of the USA. He failed to call out the national guard on January 6th, 2021 but let “Big Balls” be attacked by two 15 year-olds and crime is out of control. He will use everything he can to distract us from the Epstein files!
Crime is down in DC why?
Could it be because President Trump is deporting the gangbangers in the country illegally?
Just saw an interesting article.
Turns out the Capitol Police Chief falsely reported lower crime stats. Weird. I wonder if an official lying might have something to do with crime being down.
CB. No doubt you misunderstood the article. Can you share it?
Can you use a search engine? No, I guess you cannot, after all you are a leftist, and you need someone to spoon feed you any and all information they think you need.
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So, here you go, from a NBC4 Washington article:__________
A D.C. police commander is under investigation for allegedly making changes to crime statistics in his district.
The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Michael Pulliam was placed on paid administrative leave in mid-May. That happened just a week after Pulliam filed an equal employment opportunity complaint against an assistant chief and the police union accused the department of deliberately falsifying crime data, according to three law enforcement sources familiar with the complaint.
The union claims police supervisors in the department manipulate crime data to make it appear violent crime has fallen considerably compared to last year.
_________________
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Now grow up, go and check it out yourself.
So a DOGE employee nicknamed “Big Balls” got car-jacked by a couple of unarmed 14 year olds and we’re supposed to lock down the entire nation’s capitol over it?
Yes.
Who is locking anything down?
Is increasing police equivalent to locking it down in your world?
CB. There are 3400 law enforcement officers in DC doing their job and doing it well judging by statistics. Adding 200 National Guard troops helps no one, in fact, it makes LE less effective cuz of the logistics of providing for troops
The statistics say murders in DC are well over national average.
The statistics say violent crime in DC is running about twice national average.
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What statistics are you talking about? The falsified ones that say crime is dropping in DC? The ones that say DC was the worst city in the US for violent crime two years ago, but they have cut crime and have dropped all the way down to being the worst city in the US for violent crime?
Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were gunned down in the middle of the sidewalk by a deranged terroristic Palestinian supporter. A congressional staffer was recently carjacked, a former administration official was carjacked and shot, the list goes on and on…but nothing to see here since it doesn’t fit the narrative.
One of the oldest and simplest responsibilities of government is to protect citizens from violence, if government cannot perform that duty it is anarchy…which might just be the goal for some.
Did you know the murder rate in DC is four times the national average? 27.5 per 100,000 in DC versus a national average of 5.9 per 100,000.
But, this action is strictly because of one attack. Got it. You go on believing that.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a statement condemning the federal takeover as an “undemocratic and politically motivated stunt,” arguing the city’s police and public safety agencies were already working to address the crisis. YEAH RIGHT If this was true this wouldn’t be happening! More Democrat lies.
DC crime statistics (source: DC Police). Formatting didn’t transfer . Violent crime is down 28% since 2024!!
Offense 2024 2025 Percent Change
Homicide 112 99 -12%
Sex Abuse 110 55 -50%
Assault w/ a Dangerous Weapon 667
534
-20%
Robbery 1,249 898 -28%
Violent Crime – Total
2,138
1,586 -26%
Burglary 543
437
-20%
Motor Vehicle Theft 2,904 2,909 0%
Theft from Auto 3,866 3,720 -4%
Theft (Other) 7,418 7,023 -5%
Arson 3 4 33%
Property Crime – Total 14,734 14,093 -4%
All Crime – Total 16,872 15,679 -7%
I wonder if deporting the gangbangers had anything to do with it?
See, enforcing the law works.
Credible evidence is suggesting those stats are lies. The DC Police Commander has been place on leave for deliberately falsifying the data.
Yup. Hide the evdence. Typical false reporting and under-reporting.
Now, compare the per capita numbers against nation averages as well as against other large cities.
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You might find out that DC crime is still well above the national average, and well above most large cities. Dropping from the city with the most violent crime to the city with the most violent crime is not an improvement.
Democrats should hang their heads in shame over their soft approach to crime and criminals. 😔
You have to have a moral foundation and a code of ethics to be ashamed of failure.
Did I not predict it?
The leftist are all claiming this is some kind of power grab. And, predictably, they are using the same NPC talking points, that crime is down. (Most likely because the illegal alien gangbangers are all on their way to Africa.)
Too funny. First the article claims crime spiked 50% with zero evidence and when all available evidence shows the opposite. Then, you claim that crime went down because of deportation of illegal aliens; also with zero evidence. Anything to justify your own worldview.
Glad you enjoyed my comment.
finally, what a great idea to clean out the capitol city of America! Hope it catches on for the rest of the USA.
The absolute irony of this whole situation is just grand.
Suddenly Trump gives a rat’s behind about crime in DC and mistreatment of police officers? Because he sure didn’t care about the officers assaulted on Jan 6, and neither did MAGA.
But go on and tell me how republicans are the party of law and order.
Pointing out the exception does not disprove the rule.
Looking at the overall trend, Republicans ARE the party of law and order. The other party is not.
Ha! Really now?
Republicans have become the party of pedos and philanderers, of faux Christians and the willingly ignorant. You revel in the suffering and humiliation of others.
So, we are just like the democrats?
Knowing what a dedicated leftist you are, you have just given us a compliment.
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Besides, what does your retort have to do with my comment? I see a trend, you apparently are too blind to see anything.
Yes!!! Let’s get our America back and hold people accountable for their actions. finally
I see big indictments coming. There needs to be law and order ahead of time.
I think President Trump should live stream the arrests of several prominent figures on a Pay Per View channel. We could probably pay off the national debt from the proceeds of Obama’s arrest alone.
For all the leftist NPCs parroting the talking point that DC crime is down. Take a few seconds and look at the data in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting system. Their Crime Data Explorer tool is very eye opening.
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Homicides in DC average in a more than twice the national average.
Rapes in DC are consistently above the national average.
Aggravated Assaults well… DC seems to be doing OK on that front. Often below national average. Well done DC.
Robbery in DC… and… we are back, averaging up to five times national average.
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What is even more damning is the clearance rate (closing the case) in DC. Their ability to charge a suspect and try them is abysmal.
Claiming that DC is doing well with crime because their stats moved them from worst in the nation to worst in the nation is disingenuous at best.