Washington DC launches court challenge against Trump administration police takeover
District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in a new lawsuit that Mr Trump was going far beyond his power under the law.
Mr Schwalb asked a judge to find that the district still controls the department and sought an emergency restraining order.
"The administration's unlawful actions are an affront to the dignity and autonomy of the 700,000 Americans who call DC home," he said.
"This is the gravest threat to Home Rule that the District has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it."
The lawsuit comes after Federal Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday night, local time, that Drug Enforcement Administration boss Terry Cole would assume the "powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police."
She said the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) "must receive approval from Commissioner Cole" before issuing any orders.
It was unclear where the move left the city's current police chief, Pamela Smith, who works for the mayor.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser pushed back, writing on social media that "there is no statute that conveys the District's personnel authority to a federal official."
Justice Department and White House spokespeople did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the district's lawsuit.
Mr Schwalb said late Thursday that Ms Bondi's directive was "unlawful," arguing it could not be followed by the city's police force.
He wrote in a memo to Ms Smith that "members of MPD must continue to follow your orders and not the orders of any official not appointed by the Mayor," setting up the legal clash.
Ms Bondi's directive came even after Ms Smith told MPD officers hours earlier to share information with immigration agencies regarding people not in custody, such as someone involved in a traffic stop or checkpoint.
The Justice Department said Ms Bondi disagreed with the police chief's directive because it allowed for continued enforcement of "sanctuary policies," which generally limit cooperation by local law enforcement with federal immigration officers.
Mr Trump's Attorney General said she was rescinding that order as well as other MPD policies limiting inquiries into immigration status and preventing arrests based solely on federal immigration warrants.
All new directives must now receive approval from Commissioner Cole, the attorney general said.
The police takeover is the latest move by Mr Trump to test the limits of his legal authority.
The DC population, already tense from days of ramp-up, has begun seeing more significant shows of force across the city.
National Guard troops watched over some of the world's most renowned landmarks and Humvees took position in front of the busy main train station.
Volunteers helped homeless people leave long-standing encampments, but it was unclear where they were moved to.
Department of Homeland Security police stood outside Nationals Park on Thursday during a game between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies.
DEA agents patrolled The Wharf, a popular nightlife area, while Secret Service officers were seen in the Foggy Bottom neighbourhood.
National Guard Major Micah Maxwell said troops would assist law enforcement in various roles, including traffic control posts and crowd control.
The Guard members have been trained in de-escalation tactics and crowd control equipment, Major Maxwell added.
AP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Canada moves to halt strike as hundreds of flights grounded
The Canadian government intervened Saturday to end a strike by Air Canada cabin crew members that saw hundreds of flights cancelled and triggered summer travel chaos for the carrier's 130,000 daily passengers. Canada's largest airline, which flies directly to 180 cities worldwide, had stopped all operations after some 10,000 flight attendants began industrial action fueled by a wage dispute just after midnight on Saturday. Hours later, Canada's labor policy minister, Patty Hajdu, moved to invoke a legal provision that would halt the strike and force both sides into binding arbitration. "This is not a decision that I have taken lightly. The potential for immediate negative impact on Canadians and our economy is simply too great," Hajdu told journalists. However, she said it could still take five to 10 days for Air Canada to resume regular services after the disruption. The airline had earlier urged customers not to go to the airport if they have a ticket for Air Canada or its lower-cost subsidiary Air Canada Rouge. It said flights by Air Canada Express, which are operated by a third party, would not be impacted by the walkout. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which is representing the workers, said its members would remain on strike until the government formally issues an order that they return to work. "Please remember there is only a referral, we are still in a legal position to strike and will continue to do so, we must show the company we are in control of this," the union's Air Canada branch wrote on Facebook. In a separate statement, CUPE slammed the Canadian government's intervention as "rewarding Air Canada's refusal to negotiate fairly by giving them exactly what they wanted." "This sets a terrible precedent," it added. "This will only ensure that the unresolved issues will continue to worsen by kicking them down the road." - Unpaid ground work - In addition to wage increases, the union says it wants to address uncompensated ground work, including during the boarding process. Rafael Gomez, who heads the University of Toronto's Center for Industrial Relations, told AFP it is "common practice, even around the world" to compensate flight attendants based on time spent in the air. He said the union had built an effective communication campaign around the issue, creating a public perception of unfairness. An average passenger, not familiar with common industry practice, could think, "'I'm waiting to board the plane and there's a flight attendant helping me, but they're technically not being paid for that work,'" he said, speaking before the strike began. "That's a very good issue to highlight," Gomez said, adding that gains made by Air Canada employees could impact other carriers. Air Canada detailed its latest offer in a Thursday statement, specifying that under the terms, a senior flight attendant would on average make CAN$87,000 ($65,000) by 2027. CUPE has described Air Canada's offers as "below inflation (and) below market value." The union has also rejected requests from the federal government and Air Canada to resolve outstanding issues through independent arbitration. Canada's economy, though showing resilience, has begun feeling the effects of US President Donald Trump's trade war, with his tariffs hitting crucial sectors like auto, aluminum and steel. In a statement issued before the strike began, the Business Council of Canada warned an Air Canada work stoppage could add further pain. "At a time when Canada is dealing with unprecedented pressures on our critical economic supply chains, the disruption of national air passenger travel and cargo transport services would cause immediate and extensive harm to all Canadians," it said.
Sky News AU
30 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Kosha Gada: Labor leads Australia into oblivion with net zero's trifecta - grid insecurity, solar's hidden costs and the blight of wind farms
Few issues cut deeper into national survival or division than energy policy. In 2025, the Western world faces a stark split: the US, under President Donald Trump, has abandoned net zero to pursue fossil fuel dominance, while Canada, Europe, and Australia double down on costly climate pledges. Within minutes of taking office on January 20, Trump pulled the US from the Paris Agreement and declared a National Energy Emergency to unleash oil, gas, and coal for affordability, security and dominance. In contrast, Canada, the EU and Australia cling to net zero targets despite mounting costs. Australia's uniquely punishing burden Australia's situation is extreme. A July 2025 ACCC report warns that outdated market rules are driving grid volatility and soaring household bills. With just 27 million people and a $200 billion fossil fuel export economy, rigid net zero targets mandated by the 2022 Climate Change Act risk crushing both grid and economy. The law demands a 43 per cent emissions cut by 2030 and net zero by 2050, while the 2024 Future Made in Australia Act pledges $22.7 billion for green industries. A 2035 target of 65 to 75 per cent reduction looms. Unlike the UK, the EU, Canada and Japan, which rely on nuclear or hydro, Australia has vast coal, gas, lithium and uranium reserves yet no comparable low-carbon baseload options. Net zero requires slashing domestic fossil fuel use while still exporting them- a hypocrisy critics call 'starving while selling bread'. With a sparse population and sprawling grid, renewable intermittency hits harder than in denser nations. Failures such as Queensland's $14 billion hydrogen project collapse and soaring transmission costs expose the fragility of the plan. Ross Garnaut warns the absence of a carbon price makes the Net Zero Plan incoherent, while years-long project approvals add delays. Net zero's 'catastrophic trifecta' - grid instability, solar's hidden costs and wind's environmental damage - reveals deep flaws in the policy's economic and ecological logic. Grid on the precipice: Physics versus fantasy The National Electricity Market (NEM) is straining under the shift from coal (down 35 per cent since 2000) to 83 per cent renewables by 2030, as projected by AEMO. Intermittent solar and wind lack the synchronous inertia of coal and gas, destabilising frequency- a weakness exposed by the 2016 South Australia blackout and recent solar output cuts in North Queensland. Australia's vast, lightly populated grid cannot match the resilience of Japan's compact network or Canada's hydro-backed system. Gas 'peaking' plants and unproven long-duration storage are stopgaps, but one in four households already struggles with energy bills. A 2022 NSW price spike forced AEMO intervention, and the Productivity Commission warns of 'massive costs' to triple NEM capacity by 2030, with storage needs rising from 3 GW to 49 GW by 2050. The physics - not politics - make net zero's ambitions unattainable without destabilising supply. Solar illusion: Hidden costs and false promises Large-scale solar farms, costing over $1 billion per gigawatt, require massive public and private investment plus billions more for grid integration. Solar's daytime-only output forces reliance on backup generation. End-of-life disposal is a looming crisis: panels contain toxic materials, last only 20 to 30 years, and Australia lacks scalable recycling. Panel manufacturing depends heavily on coal-powered Chinese factories, which control 80 per cent of global supply, binding Australia to environmentally damaging and strategically risky supply chains. Land use is another issue - vast farms consume thousands of hectares, fragmenting ecosystems, and competing with agriculture. These costs undermine solar as a pillar of reliable, affordable energy. The windfarm contradiction: a renewable hellscape Wind farms scar iconic landscapes, from Tasmania's hills to Queensland's coasts, fuelling rural resentment. A 2023 CSIRO survey found widespread opposition, citing the visual blight of 200-metre turbines. Wildlife suffers: thousands of birds and bats die annually, including protected species, while offshore projects threaten marine life through underwater noise. Turbine blades, made of non-recyclable composites, are piling up in landfills. Decommissioning costs often fall to taxpayers, and vast transmission projects fragment habitats while inflating costs. For a sparsely populated country with unique wilderness, wind power's environmental toll contradicts net zero's 'green' image. Government's true duty The government's first responsibility is reliable, affordable energy, not pursuing an abstract 'luxury belief' of net zero. Cheap, stable power underpins households, farms, and industries, sustaining the $200 billion fossil fuel export economy and Australia's living standards. With one in four households in energy hardship, intermittent renewables risk further strain. Reliable energy safeguards jobs, competitiveness, and national security. Net zero, by contrast, is a distant goal disconnected from Australia's immediate needs and advantages. The debate is fundamentally about the role of government - keeping lights on and costs down versus chasing utopian ideals. The righteous fight In Canberra, opposition is hardening. Senior Liberal Andrew Hastie vows to keep fighting net zero despite electoral headwinds, citing public anger over prices. Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has introduced a bill to repeal the target, backed by Senator Matt Canavan, who calls net zero 'crazy and insane'. Regional MPs like Garth Hamilton and Alex Antic argue it betrays Australia's resource wealth. Nationals leader David Littleproud has labelled the target 'impossible'. Moderates like Andrew Bragg and Zoe McKenzie warn that abandoning net zero risks losing urban seats to the Greens and independents. The Coalition's May 2025 election loss - Labor won a historic majority - has deepened divisions. Pro-climate independents and the Greens gained ground, while the Coalition's pro-nuclear, pro-gas platform failed to win undecided and female voters. For the Coalition, the stakes are existential: Net zero threatens regional economies and energy security, yet dropping it risks alienating urban voters. The challenge is to reframe the issue - not just about reliability and affordability, but about national pride and energy supremacy. Australia, as the 'lucky country,' could deliver abundant, cheap power, thriving industries and jobs while fuelling the world's energy needs. Selling that vision could unite rural and urban voters, dismantle net zero's hold and restore Australia's economic leadership. Kosha Gada is a tech entrepreneur and broadcast commentator on US and international current affairs, appearing live three nights a week on Sky News Australia. She is a board member of sports betting platform PointsBet
ABC News
32 minutes ago
- ABC News
Rice nearly sank US tariff talks until Japan finally agreed to take more American grain
For decades, Japan's tight protection of its rice market — a symbol of cultural pride, postwar resilience and self-sufficiency — blocked broader trade deals. Last month, rice was once again a sticking point during negotiations over the US "reciprocal tariffs" with President Donald Trump calling Japan a "spoiled" country that "won't take our rice". However, this time Mr Trump forged what he framed as a tariffs breakthrough: Japan importing more US rice. Rice prices have nearly doubled since last year across Japan. A perfect storm of supply miscalculations and a bad harvest left supermarket shelves bare and sparked rare street protests, triggering the government to release emergency stockpiles. But still the question remains: Are the Japanese public able to stomach foreign rice? Rice is integral to history and political power in Japan. Rice planting festivals remain an important ritual in rural areas, alongside offerings to ancestors during ceremonies to gods or weddings. "It's a delicate tightrope between price and protecting our identity," said Yusuke Yokoyama, a Tokyo resident, who noticed many local restaurants had stopped offering free "refill" rice. "People in Japan are generally happy to have lower prices for rice, but they also don't want to import it," he said. In the late 19th century, as Japan faced geopolitical tensions while opening up to the West, rice was even woven into the military transformation. Mr Yokoyama explained that many Japanese were aware of the historical connection of rice as a symbol of Japanese identity and sovereignty. For example, a "rice wage" was an incentive to recruit soldiers, expanding from the previous exclusive samurai class. In a nation where rice farming has been politically protected since the 1970s, the crisis is exposing the structural fragility of its agricultural sector. Rice emerged as a top-three issue for voters in polling ahead of recent municipal elections, as customers and restaurants struggled with inflation and the far-right Sanseito party capitalised on the outrage. CoCo ICHIBANYA, Japan's largest curry rice restaurant chain, raised its menu prices and saw a 5.2 per cent drop in customers between September last year and this year. Retailers are resorting to marketing gimmicks. Convenience store chain Lawson began selling rice balls made from the older grain, labelling them as "2023 Vintage" onigiri. The attempt at humour — or damage control — was mocked online. For decades, Tokyo maintained one of the most rigid agricultural systems in the developed world. Under the now-defunct "gentan" policy, farmers were paid not to grow rice, and strict production targets were set to manage supply. "Japan previously paid farmers to leave their fields fallow," said Jeffrey Kingston, professor of History and Asian Studies at Temple University Japan. "The idea was to keep prices stable. But now we see how this entire system — combined with high tariffs and climate shocks — has become untenable." Instead, it has contributed to what he describes as a "Byzantine" distribution network and mindset. "The youngest farmer I know is 65," Mr Kingston said. "The aging population will have adverse effects on the sector whether Tokyo likes it or not." Nicole Freiner, author of Rice and Agricultural Policies in Japan, said the government's program to subsidise farmers to limit rice production because of declining demand was short-sighted. "Even if Japan utilised most of its usable land, it still would not be self-sufficient," she said. Instead, she encouraged the government to react more to consumers switching to wheat-based food. "This policy created a lack of incentive for rice-growing that left rice paddies abandoned, with no opportunities for young farmers," Ms Freiner said. Japan's protectionist stance has long frustrated international trade partners. The United States, in particular, has pushed for greater access to Japan's rice market and the Trump administration made it their mission during the recent tariff negotiations. Some netizens pushed back, sharing clips of an anime film where a Japanese character tells a pushy US politician that Japanese consumers prefer home-grown rice over California rice. Japan imports 770,000 tonnes of foreign rice annually — but much of it has traditionally been used for processing or animal feed, not table rice. Tokyo reached a deal with Washington in the latest tariff deal, increasing the proportion of US rice allocated for household consumption. Mr Trump claimed that Japan had "caved" to US demands. Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pushed back. "We made absolutely no sacrifice in the agricultural sector," he told local media. Marcel Thieliant, Asia Pacific analyst at Capital Economics, said Japan had negotiated cautiously, keeping the overall import quota unchanged, but a larger share of that quota would now come from the US, rather than other countries. He rejected the narrative from Washington of a sweeping victory. "I'm not aware of any plans to actually liberalise the market by lifting the import quota," he told the ABC. Other analysts said the proportion change of staple rice imports — even within existing frameworks — may have signalled a gradual shift away from hardline protectionism. "The [US] side deal is significant in symbolic terms; it may be an indication that Tokyo is becoming more willing to open its rice market — at least, when it needs help," Ms Freigner said. "Whether or not these changes take hold and become more entrenched is not clear yet," she added. For ordinary citizens, many remain uneasy and some local broadcasters have directed the blame at the rise in foreign tourists — including Australians — as Japan records an all-time high for international tourism figures. "As the yen falls, locals have started to become angry," said Mr Kingston. "They watch foreigners swaggering about, buying up real estate and eating cheap, while local households feel the pinch of inflation — even in their daily meal of rice." The situation, he added, had created "a sense of malaise gripping people here". Japan is struggling with low wages and inflation. Since the July agreement, Japanese supermarket prices have fallen following the government's release of stockpiled rice. But prices are still nearly double the same time last year. Industry analysts note that the increase in imports of rice for human consumption has been modest so far relative to the scale of the domestic supply shortfall, and distribution has yet to catch up with rising consumer demand. Last year's harvest was devastated by record-breaking heat. And with meteorological extremes becoming more common, experts say Japan's model of matching production to slowly declining demand is no longer sufficient. "Climate is affecting harvesting rice and other products," said Mr Yokoyama. "The policy may have to change. Our food security is not high, and people are starting to understand that now." A sense of frustration has grown among farmers, angry at the regulations limiting how much rice they can grow, which spilled over into protests earlier this year. Japan's food self-sufficiency rate has languished around 30–40 per cent for decades. Despite pledges to raise it, little has changed. One approach could be to subsidise farmers' production of rice instead of paying them not to, and export the surplus. "What the government should do now is stop subsidising crop conversion," said Yusaku Yoshikawa, an agricultural aid consultant with Japanese Official Development Assistance Projects. Already, the government has dipped into emergency stockpiles to manage supply, but analysts warn that short-term fixes can't resolve long-term instability. They must also be careful not to overcorrect, as producing too much rice now could lead to a glut and cause prices to crash. "We're in a delicate moment," Mr Yoshikawa said. "We've gone from rice scarcity last year to needing policy imagination. What's needed now is not just price control."
