Deal reached after US capital sues Trump over police takeover
The deal was hammered out at a federal court hearing after the District's attorney general sued the Trump administration over what he called a 'hostile takeover' of the city's police force. Trump placed Washington's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under federal control on Monday and ordered 800 National Guard troops onto the streets of the capital.
Attorney General Pam Bondi then appointed Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief Terry Cole as 'emergency' police commissioner. But at Friday's hearing, Judge Ana Reyes urged both sides to reach a compromise. They agreed that Cole would not directly command the MPD but would issue directives through the mayor's office.
'Mr. Cole is not going to be able to direct police department individuals to do anything,' Reyes said. 'He's going to have to go through the mayor.'
District Attorney General Brian Schwalb welcomed the outcome, saying it confirmed that the MPD remained under the authority of the chief appointed by the mayor. 'We don't need a hostile takeover from the federal government to do what we do every day,' he told reporters.
Unlike the 50 states, Washington operates under a unique relationship with the federal government that limits its autonomy and grants Congress extraordinary control over local matters. Since the mid-1970s, the Home Rule Act has allowed residents to elect a mayor and a city council, although Congress still oversees the city's budget.
Republican critics frequently accuse Washington of being crime-ridden, mismanaged and plagued by homelessness. But police data show violent crime dropped significantly between 2023 and 2024, following a post-pandemic surge. Mayor Muriel Bowser said this week that violent crime is at its lowest level in 30 years.
Trump has also pledged to clear homeless encampments, saying those sleeping in public should be moved 'far from the capital.' On his Truth Social platform, he described the city as 'under siege from thugs and killers,' with higher crime rates than 'many of the most violent Third World countries.'
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