
What to know about Trump's long, contentious relationships with D.C. leadership
Why it matters: Trump's ire toward Washington and its leadership dates back to his first administration, when D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser responded in kind.
Driving the news: Trump said would be "LIBERATED" in a Monday Truth Social post.
"We are taking our capital back," he wrote in a separate post, before announcing that he is seizing control of D.C.'s police force and deploying the National Guard into the city to crack down on crimes.
During the press conference, Trump criticized D.C. leadership for its "abject failures" that exacerbated public safety issues.
Zoom in: Trump also reassigned federal law enforcement officers, including FBI agents to assist night patrol duty in D.C., Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson said.
"In just a few nights, federal law enforcement officers have already played a vital role in deterring crime, arresting criminals, and getting dangerous drugs and weapons off the streets," Jackson said.
Reality check: Crime in D.C., including homicides, has fallen for the second straight years.
Flashback: In 2020, Trump deployed out-of-state National Guard troops to D.C. to quell protests following the murder of George Floyd.
The move was an unprecedented use of U.S. code regarding domestic National Guard missions, according to the Brennan Center.
Friction point: Trump also blamed Bowser for not stopping the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in 2021, but her advisers tried to reach Trump's team that day.
At the time, she offered the Metropolitan Police Department to support the U.S. Capitol Police.
During a local radio interview, the mayor blamed the insurrection on Trump and called him an "unhinged president."
Zoom out: Bowser clashed with Trump over his use of the National Guard and federal law enforcement during his first term, but she's refrained from major criticism this time.
Bowser, also in 2020, ordered the creation of Black Lives Matter Plaza, including "Black Lives Matter" written in yellow paint across multiple blocks of 16th Street.
Earlier this year, the city removed the paint following encroachment from the Trump administration.
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Newsweek
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