Trump steps up clash with DC, Democratic-led cities
Trump announced during a press conference at the White House that he was declaring a public safety emergency in the District and subsequently taking federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department. He was also activating 800 National Guard troops to aid local and federal law enforcement as part of an effort to crack down on crime.
'We have other cities also that are bad. Very bad. You look at Chicago, how bad it is. You look at Los Angeles, how bad it is,' Trump said. 'New York has a problem. And then you have, of course Baltimore and Oakland, we don't even mention that anymore. They're so far gone. We're not going to lose our cities over this. And this will go further. We're starting very strongly with D.C., and we're going to clean it up very quickly, as they say.'
The president's comments came at the same press conference where his FBI director, Kash Patel, touted that the murder rate was on pace to be the lowest in modern history.
But Trump and the GOP have for years positioned themselves as the tough-on-crime party. The president has frequently used major U.S. cities, which are overwhelmingly governed by Democratic mayors, as a political foil, depicting them as overrun with crime, vandalism and homelessness.
While the law allows the president to impose his will on the District, Democratic leaders have already signaled they would push back on efforts to do the same elsewhere.
'Let's not lie to the public, you and I both know you have no authority to take over Chicago,' Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) posted on the social platform X, responding to Trump's comments.
'If President Trump wants to help make Chicago safer, he can start by releasing the funds for anti-violence programs that have been critical to our work to drive down crime and violence. Sending in the national guard would only serve to destabilize our city and undermine our public safety efforts,' Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) said in a statement on Monday afternoon.
The White House has in recent days surged federal law enforcement across the District, with agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency, the FBI, Secret Service and other agencies patrolling the city.
Trump used his authority under the Home Rule Act to take control of the city's police department Monday. He can do so for 30 days, after which he would need congressional approval.
The president also announced he was activating the D.C. National Guard, something he is able to do without local approval.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) told reporters Monday she was not given a heads-up about Trump's plan to seize control of the city's police department, and she said she 'believed' the White House would activate the National Guard.
'While this action today is unsettling and unprecedented, I can't say that given some of the rhetoric of the past that we are totally surprised,' Bowser said at a press conference.
Trump has long picked fights with Democratic cities, attacking mayors in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Baltimore and other areas and using them to boost his own image as a tough-on-crime president.
His outrage was a staple of the 2020 protests in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd. His administration moved to clear protesters in D.C., he railed against rioting in Minnesota and he urged Democratic leaders in Washington state to take action after demonstrators set up an 'autonomous zone' in Seattle.
Earlier this year, Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles to quell protests over immigration raids, against the wishes of state and local authorities.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who sued the Trump administration earlier this year over the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles, argued the president had been laying the groundwork to exert greater power over the states.
'He was just getting warmed up in Los Angeles,' Newsom posted on X. 'He will gaslight his way into militarizing any city he wants in America. This is what dictators do.'
FBI crime data released earlier this month showed violent crime decreased nationally in 2024 by roughly 4.5 percent compared to 2023. Data from the District of Columbia shows violent crime in the city is down so far in 2025 compared with 2024 and is at its lowest level in years.
The White House issued a fact sheet aiming to bolster its actions, which noted the District had the fourth-highest homicide rate in the country in 2024 at 27.3 per 100,000 residents. The administration also pointed to the volume of crimes reported thus far in 2025, despite statistics showing it has dropped year to year.
And Trump highlighted a series of high-profile violent crimes in the city this year, including the killing of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, an intern in the office of Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.), and the assault of Edward 'Big Balls' Coristine, a 19-year-old former Department of Government Efficiency staffer.
While Trump and his administration can take a more proactive role in reshaping D.C., he would have a more difficult time doing the same in other major cities.
It is common for local law enforcement to coordinate with federal partners, but Democratic leaders are unlikely to request the National Guard be deployed in their states. And Trump cannot unilaterally commandeer control of local police forces elsewhere.
Trump on Monday also railed against cashless bail, a policy adopted in some form by places including Illinois, New York and the District, under which a judge determines whether to release a defendant before their trial.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), a staunch Trump ally, said she would lead legislation seeking to outlaw cashless bail policies. The New York Post first reported on Stefanik's involvement, and she confirmed it on X on Monday afternoon.
Trump indicated Monday he may hold the prospect of federal intervention over other cities but also left the door open to allowing local governments to make changes on their own.
'Other cities are hopefully watching this … and maybe they'll self-clean up,' Trump said. 'And maybe they'll self-do this and get rid of the cashless bail thing and all of the things that caused the problem.'
There is also some political risk for Trump in appearing to overstep.
His poll numbers began to dip around the same time he deployed troops to Los Angeles.
Some Democrats also moved quickly Monday to dismiss the announcement in D.C. as a 'distraction' from negative headlines for the president.
'If the economy you promised to boost is lagging, w/prices rising…If the wars you vowed to end–'very quickly'–are still raging…If you continue to hide the Epstein files & dangle a pardon for his accomplice…you need a BIG distraction!' former Obama White House adviser David Axelrod posted on X. 'Introducing…The DC takeover!!'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
20 minutes ago
- The Hill
GOP senator on DC carjacking fears: ‘I don't buckle up'
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) on Wednesday expressed his fear of being carjacked in the nation's capital, as the Trump administration ramps up its federal takeover of local law enforcement. 'And by the way, I'm not joking when I say this, I drive around in Washington, D.C., in my Jeep, and yes, I do drive myself, and I don't buckle up. And the reason why I don't buckle up, and people can say whatever they want to, they can raise their eyebrows at me again, is because of carjacking,' Mullin said during an appearance on Fox News's 'The Ingraham Angle.' 'I don't want to be stuck in my vehicle when I need to exit in a hurry, because I got a seatbelt around me and that — and I wear my seatbelt all the time,' he told host Brian Kilmeade, in a clip highlighted by Mediaite. 'But in Washington, D.C., I do not, because it is so prevalent of carjacking,' the Oklahoma Republican continued. 'And I don't want the same thing [to] happen to me what's happened to a lot of people that work on the hill.' President Trump announced earlier this week that his administration was taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and deployed hundreds of National Guard soldiers to the area to combat crime and violence in the city. The move, sparked after a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer was attacked by teenagers during a carjacking — has received heavy blowback from Democrats and local officials. A provision in Washington's ' Home Rule Act ' allows the president to federalize the police force for up to 30 days — but any additional time requires Congressional approval. During a speech Wednesday from the Kennedy Center, Trump said he will seek a 'long-term' extension. 'Well, if it's a national emergency, we can do it without Congress,' Trump said, when asked about whether he's talked to lawmakers about extending the takeover. He added that he expects meet with Congress 'very quickly' and snag GOP support. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) signaled in a post online Wednesday that he and fellow Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) were working with the Trump administration on a safety package for the district. 'Together, we will try to shepherd the DC Security Fund through Congress to give President Trump the resources he will need to improve the safety and quality of life in our nation's capital,' he wrote on social platform X. 'Every American should be behind this effort to make Washington, DC clean and safe so that it can truly become the shining city on the hill.' For such a move to advance, however, it would likely need support from some Senate Democrats. Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) made clear that his caucus would not back the measure. 'No f‑‑‑ing way,' he told podcast host Aaron Parnas. 'We'll fight him tooth and nail. … He needs to get Congress to approve it, and not only are we not going to approve it, but there are some Republicans who don't like either.' D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has also pushed back on Trump's moves, calling them an 'authoritarian push' as data shows the crime rate declining in the nation's capital. The mayor has also used the national attention as a platform to reup the district's quest to gain statehood.
Los Angeles Times
20 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: Secretary's willingness to tamper with past climate reports is dangerous
To the editor: U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright is intending to review and potentially alter the nation's next climate science report ('Energy secretary says Trump administration may alter past National Climate Assessments,' Aug. 7). He's already removed the climate assessments from the government websites. He has accused the previous reviews (even the ones made during the first Trump administration) as being 'politically biased.' Just wondering if Wright has actually looked outdoors recently or at least kept abreast of the weather reports. Has he not seen the spate of unprecedented tornadoes razing towns and communities? Or witnessed the deadly floods throughout the country? Or the wildfires from hell in the West? Or the unbearable heat waves hitting the Northeast? Or the approaching hurricanes that signal widespread death and destruction on the way? It is clear that Wright is on a leash, eager to do the bidding of his master — old 'Drill, Baby, Drill!' His stated intentions, as well as his removal of the climate assessments from years past from governmental websites, make him complicit in the disaster that is to come. Lanore Pearlman, Claremont ... To the editor: I see that Wright, previously the CEO of a company that did fracking, says that the government climate reports have been politically driven and are not accepted by 'a credible economist or scientist.' I am sure he is right that some economists do not wish to contemplate the possibility of climate change, but I would challenge him as to what the majority scientific opinion might be. Hundreds of scientists have studied the issue. Most published articles note that change is occurring. The evidence is everywhere: shrinking glaciers in every part of the globe, shrinking polar and Greenland ice sheets, the melting of the Russian tundra, bleaching coral reefs, longer, hotter summers, disruption of rain patterns, even the opening of the Northwest Passage. The actual debate appears to be whether human activity is causing it. In other words, conservatives do not believe we can stop the process. Erica Hahn, Monrovia ... To the editor: Wright's changes might misinform some, but if our extreme weather-related events continue at their enhanced pace, eventually the public will demand action. Those events are devastating and deadly to the affected population and the economic damage is astounding. I find it disingenuous and devious that the Energy secretary is considering changes to previous scientific-based reports. Going back to scrub past reports won't change the facts that our climate has changed and fossil fuel emissions are exacerbating this change. Jonathan Light, Laguna Niguel
New York Post
20 minutes ago
- New York Post
Russia appears ready to test new missile — even as Putin prepares for Trump talks, researchers warn
Russia appears to be preparing to test its new nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered cruise missile, according to two US researchers and a Western security source, even as Russian President Vladimir Putin readies for talks on Ukraine with US President Donald Trump on Friday. Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, and Decker Eveleth of the CNA research and analysis organization, based in Virginia, reached their assessments separately by studying imagery taken in recent weeks until Tuesday by Planet Labs, a commercial satellite firm. They agreed the photos showed extensive activity at the Pankovo test site on the Barents Sea archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, including increases in personnel and equipment and ships and aircraft associated with earlier tests of the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel). 5 A satellite view shows an aircraft at the Rogachevo military airfield in Rogachevo, Russia on August 5, 2025 via REUTERS 'We can see all of the activity at the test site, which is both huge amounts of supplies coming in to support operations and movement at the place where they actually launch the missile,' Lewis said. A Western security source, who asked not to be further identified, confirmed that Russia is preparing a Burevestnik test. Lewis said a test could occur this week, raising the possibility it could overshadow the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Asked for comment, the White House did not address the possibility of a Burevestnik test. The Pentagon, the CIA, and Russia's Defense Ministry declined to comment. Putin has said the weapon – dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO – is 'invincible' to current and future missile defenses, with an almost unlimited range and unpredictable flight path. 5 A satellite image showed equipment appearing to be at the Pankovo test site in Russia's Yuzhny Island on August 7, 2025. via REUTERS Lewis, Eveleth, and two arms control experts said the missile's development has taken on more importance for Moscow since Trump announced in January the development of a US Golden Dome missile defense shield. But many experts say it is unclear the missile can evade defenses, will not give Moscow capabilities it does not already have, and will spew radiation along its flight path. A test would have been scheduled long in advance of last week's announcement of the Trump-Putin meeting, the researchers and experts said. Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters But Putin could have suspended preparations in view of US spy satellites to signal his openness to ending his war in Ukraine as well as to restarting arms-control talks with the US, the experts said New START, the last US-Russia pact capping strategic nuclear deployments, expires on February 5. 'Sometimes you can push up or push down the schedule for a political reason,' said Tom Countryman, a former acting undersecretary of state for arms control. 5 Researchers suspect Russia is preparing to test its nuclear-powered cruise missile. via REUTERS The Burevestnik has a poor test record, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative advocacy group, with two partial successes among 13 known tests. Special aircraft Eveleth and Lewis said the Planet Labs imagery showed stacks of shipping containers, equipment, and personnel arriving since late July. Lewis said two aircraft equipped to gather test data had been parked at the archipelago's Rogachevo military airfield since mid-July. Images he provided to Reuters showed two large jets mounted with saucer-shaped radar domes. He noted the presence of at least five ships associated with previous tests. A ship-tracking website – – showed a sixth ship linked to earlier tests was due to arrive on Tuesday, he said. 5 'We can see all of the activity at the test site,' researcher Jeffrey Lewis said. via REUTERS Reuters confirmed the website showed the vessel, a cargo ship named the Teriberka, bound for Novaya Zemlya, but could not independently confirm the researchers' other findings. Eveleth and Lewis said they began examining imagery of Pankovo starting from July, after Russia on August 6 published a notice to mariners to stay away from the area from August 9-12. Reuters found a series of notices on the US Federal Aviation Administration's Defense Internet NOTAM Service issued by Russia showing a possible launch window between August 9-22. 5 Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to meet with President Trump on Friday. VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL/EPA/Shutterstock The Norwegian military told Reuters in an email that the Barents Sea is a 'prime location for Russian missile tests' and that it had indications from notices and maritime warnings of 'preparations for test activities.' But it said it would 'not confirm any knowledge of what kind of munitions they are to test.' In late July, Eveleth said, he noticed a shelter protecting the Burevestnik launcher from the weather was being slid back and forth, which he called 'very clear evidence' of plans for a test. Lewis provided to Reuters images taken of the site on August 7 showing the protective launcher cover, stacks of shipping containers, a crane for moving them, and a helicopter. 'It's full steam ahead,' he said of the pace of test preparations.
