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Buzz Feed
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Buzz Feed
Outrage Over Trump's National Guard, DC Police Decision
The American public has grown increasingly concerned about President Donald Trump's moves toward authoritarianism and autocracy as he positions himself as being above the law and frequently mentions not leaving office at the end of his Constitutionally-granted second and final term. During a press conference on Monday morning, Trump announced a sweeping plan by his administration to increase its control over law enforcement in the United States capital city of Washington, DC. He started the press conference with a comment on how crowded the room is, saying they need a ballroom instead. Attorney General Pam Bondi grinned along. Trump launches into the topic of the press conference. "And we're here for a very serious purpose. Very serious purpose. Something is out of control, but we're gonna put it in control very quickly, like we did on the southern border," he said. "I'm announcing a historic action to rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor. And worse." "This is Liberation Day in DC, and we're gonna take our capital back," Trump said. "We're taking it back." He announced his plan: "Under the authorities vested in me as the president of the United States, I'm officially invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act — you know what that is — and placing the DC Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control." "In addition, I'm deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order, and public safety in Washington, DC and they're gonna be allowed to do their job properly," Trump continued. He then directly addressed the journalists in the room about the supposed crime hotbed of DC, saying, "You people are victims of it, too." President Trump then said that "The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogota, Colombia, Mexico City, some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on Earth," as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth nodded along. "The number of car thefts has doubled over the past five years, and the number of carjackings has more than tripled," Trump said. "Murders in 2023 reached the highest rate probably ever." "Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs, and homeless people. And we're not gonna let it happen anymore. We're not gonna take it," Trump told the crowd. He then repeated that the problem would be treated like the southern border, which he said "nobody comes to" anymore. For clarity, the Justice Department reported early this year that violent crime in Washington, DC, is down 35% from 2023. According to the DC Metropolitan Police Department, the very agency that Trump is seeking to federalize, violent crime is currently down 26% year-over-year. Richard Stengel, author and former government official under President Barack Obama, said that, "Throughout history, autocrats use a false pretext to impose government control over local law enforcement as a prelude to a more national takeover." People quickly hopped on Reddit's r/politics to discuss the CNBC article about Trump's announcement (you can watch the full press conference here). This is what some of the over 3,000 commenters had to say: "Federalizing the DC Police under fake numbers... Literally watching fascism unfold before our eyes, people. It's past time to get pissed." "I thought he said he couldn't deploy the National Guard on January 6? So now we know he could have, but didn't because it was his people." —swiftfoot_hiker "This is the big red flashing sign of fascism for anyone still wondering." "Every word out of this MF'er's mouth is a LIE. EVERY WORD. Taking over DC is to keep protestors out because this administration's next actions will be brutal." "Martial law in motion. MF didn't even bother to stage a Reichstag fire." "Here we fucking go. And sweet Jesus, it's only August of year one..." —KingMario05 "This is the death of the republic we're watching. Temporary takeovers have a very long history of becoming permanent. We're so fucked." "So, he could have done this to put down the insurrection at the Capitol?" "This is a pretext for something. His excuse is the homeless — what I really think he's preparing for are protests or maybe even riots. Maybe connected to the upcoming 'peace talks' with Russia, or the Epstein scandal." —rainghost "So that's it. No more freedom or rule of law in the US. And all the flag-waving Trump supporters don't care. Not a peep from them." "So I assume DC residents won't be able to vote ever again." "Full fucking stop. Yes, this is a distraction attempt from Epstein, among other things, but this is a pilot program for doing this in other major cities around America. This is the next step in a full fascist takeover of this country. But hey, eggs are... I mean, gas is... I mean, Kamala's laugh." "We are going to find out if the military is going to uphold their oath to defend us from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Trump is the biggest domestic terrorist I've seen in this country in my lifetime." —Ol_Turd_Fergy "That's it folks. Democracy in the US is now over. What a shameful country." "Authoritarianism it is then, I guess." "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I could have sworn that Trump had no authority to do this. I mean, that's what he said for January 6. He said that the Speaker of the House needs to make this call. Could he have been lying?" "Is this about homeless people? What is this about? Those National Guard are gonna be real sad when they realize a ton of the homeless individuals they are arresting are vets." —Resident_Standard437 And finally, "America, you are in grave danger. An authoritarian is seizing power over the police, based on a made-up emergency. This is a precursor to stealing the elections. It's the only thing left between them and ruling forever. They are stealing our democracy and do not plan to give it back. And all of you are silent. The republic is dying, rapidly and right before our eyes, and nothing is being done to stop it." So, what do you think? Let us know in the comments.
American Military News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- American Military News
Trump deploys Nat'l Guard in DC, takes federal control of DC police
President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he is deploying the National Guard in Washington, D.C., and placing the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control to address staggering crime rates in the city. 'This is liberation day in DC, and we're going to take our capital back. We're taking it back. Under the authorities vested in me as the President of the United States, I'm officially invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, you know what that is, and placing the DC Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control,' Trump said, adding, 'In addition, I'm deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order, and public safety in Washington, DC, and they're going to be allowed to do their job properly.' Last year, Washington, D.C. had the fourth-highest homicide rate in the country at 27.3 per 100,000 residents. The staggering rate was nearly six times higher than New York City and also higher than Atlanta, Chicago, and Compton. 'We're the most beautiful, potentially, capital in the world. we always had. But people come from Iowa, they come from Indiana, they come and then they get mugged. Not going to happen. Keep coming, because within — by the time you get your trip set, it's going to be safe again, and it's going to be clean very quickly,' Trump continued. 'We're going to replace the medians that are falling down all over the roads. We're going to replace the potholes. We're going to put a nice new coat of asphalt over the top. No, we don't have to rip the road out and spend seven years building a new road because they cut everything, because some designers said, well, we need a quarter of an inch more turn for safety reasons.'
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First Post
14 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Trump deploys National Guard to Washington DC: What does the law say on this?
Donald Trump took unprecedented steps on Monday, deploying the National Guard and seizing control of the police force in Washington, DC. The reason: he wants to 'rescue the capital from crime and bloodshed'. But is the US president allowed to do so? read more A demonstrator holds a sign during a protest near the White House, as US President Donald Trump announced he is placing the DC Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and deploying National Guard troops to Washington, DC. Reuters Almost a week ago, US President Donald Trump had threatened a federal takeover of the country's capital, Washington DC, after a prominent employee of Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) was beaten up in an attempted carjacking. On Monday (August 11), he turned his threat into reality as he deployed the National Guard to the capital and took control of the city's police force as he pledged to crack down on crime and homelessness in the city. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I'm announcing a historic action to rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse,' Trump said during a news conference in which he was flanked by US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who will lead the city's police force while it is under federal control. More from Explainers History Today: How archaeologists found the world's largest dinosaur fossil 'This is liberation day in DC, and we're going to take our capital back,' he said. But what does all this mean? Why has Trump moved in the National Guard to Washington, DC? What happens now? And why is Trump's move unprecedented? What did Trump announce? On Monday, Trump declared a 'public safety emergency' and deployed 800 National Guard troops in the nation's capital. He also announced that the federal government would also seize control of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department. In explaining his move, the US president said, 'it's becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness', adding that his actions would 'rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse'. He pointed out that Washington DC had been 'taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals' as well as 'drugged out maniacs and homeless people'. US President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference to discuss crime in Washington, DC, in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington. AFP Is Trump's takeover of the police legal? Trump's announcement has raised many eyebrows with some asking if he's permitted by law to do so. But experts note that his move to federalise the police is allowed within limits. The Home Rule Act of 1973 allows the president to take control of the city's police for 48 hours if he 'determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist,' which requires the department's use for federal purposes. The president can retain control of the department for a longer period if he notifies the chairs and ranking members of the congressional committees that handle legislative matters pertaining to DC, which Trump indicated he intends to do. Any request of control over the city's police department for more than 30 days must be passed into law. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, herein lies the issue. Most analysts note that there's there is 'no crime emergency' that would justify the president's actions. In fact, crime in Washington, DC is at a low. Local data reveals violent crime has decreased in recent years after a crime wave in 2023, which authorities described as a post-pandemic spike. Moreover, the Department of Justice in January said violent crime was down 35 per cent on the previous year, and had hit a 30-year low. What about Trump's deployment of the National Guard? Trump is authorised to deploy the National Guard and it is reminiscent of what he did in Los Angeles back in June. In fact, the National Guard, a military reserve force within the United States Armed Forces, reports only to the president. Governors have the power to call in the Guard in their states, but the DC mayor needs federal authorisation to do so because of DC's status without statehood. Historically, the National Guard has been called on by the president or governors to respond to domestic emergencies or participate in overseas combat and civilian missions — not to assist in routine crime-fighting. This isn't the first time that the National Guard is being brought into the capital. In his first term, Trump had deployed the troops in June 2020 to clear Black Lives Matter protesters from Lafayette Park, across from the White House. National Guard troops reinforce the security zone on Capitol Hill in Washington. File image/AP What happens in Washington, DC now? It seems that Trump's decision came as a shock to the mayor and residents of Washington. In fact, Mayor Muriel Bowser called the president's move 'unsettling and unprecedented'. She further disputed Trump's justification for declaring a crime emergency, calling it a subjective 'so-called emergency' and noting that the crime has been trending down in the city after spiking in 2023. 'We're not experiencing a spike in crime but a decrease in crime,' Bowser said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what happens now? According to a BBC report, of the 800 National Guard troops being deployed, 100-200 will be deployed and supporting law enforcement at any given time. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the National Guardsmen would arrive by the end of the week. Meanwhile, the Washington police is trying to figure out what their role will be after Trump's announcement. As CNN reported, Trump's announcement has led to confusion over who now leads the police, how their policing strategy will change and in what ways federal agents – many who aren't trained for community policing – are going to interact with local officers. Mayor Muriel Bowser also said that she was trying to hold a meeting with Attorney General Pam Bondi on the same. But, she maintained that Chief of Police Pamela Smith would still run the department and report to Bowser up through the deputy mayor. Law enforcement officials have said that it's too early to tell what would be the full extent of Trump's takeover, but for now it does mean more uniformed officials on the streets. Additionally, Trump has also called for the homeless to be evicted from the city and said that police will be 'allowed to do whatever the hell they want,' raising the prospect of an increasingly unaccountable police presence in DC. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Women display signs as people protest at Dupont Circle after US President Donald Trump announced he would deploy the National Guard to the nation's capital and place DC's Metropolitan Police Department under federal control, in Washington, DC. Reuters What happens next? Trump's move has been slammed by Democrats and activists with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, saying the aim was to 'further the personal and political agenda of a wannabe king'. Richard Stengel, a former undersecretary of state in Barack Obama's administration, wrote on X, 'Throughout history, autocrats use a false pretext to impose government control over local law enforcement as a prelude to a more national takeover.' 'That's far more dangerous than the situation he says he is fixing.' And even as Trump was making his announcement, demonstrators gathered outside the White House, protesting the move. 'There is absolutely no need for the National Guard here,' 62-year-old retiree Elizabeth Critchley, who brandished a sign with the slogan 'DC says freedom not fascism', to AFP. There's also bigger fears that Trump could replicate this move across different cities in the US. He, in fact, said that he planned to roll out the policy to other cities, spotlighting New York and Chicago. With inputs from agencies
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Trump to take control of DC police, deploy National Guard amid 'lawlessness' claims
US President Donald Trump shows crime statistics at a press conference, as he announces he will place the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control. Photo: PHOTO: AFP Listen to article US President Donald Trump said on Monday he was putting Washington's police department under federal control and ordering the National Guard to deploy to the nation's capital to combat what he described as a wave of lawlessness, despite statistics showing violent crime hit a 30-year low in 2024. 'I'm deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order and public safety in Washington, D C.,' Trump told reporters at the White House, flanked by administration officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi. 'Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals.' Trump's announcement marks his latest effort to target Democratic cities by exercising executive power over traditionally local matters. He has dismissed criticism that he is manufacturing a crisis to justify expanding presidential authority. Hundreds of officers and agents from more than a dozen federal agencies, including the FBI, ICE, DEA, and ATF, have already fanned out across the city in recent days. Read More: Tense Trump-Modi call triggered US-India fallout Washington's Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser, pushed back on Trump's claims, saying the city is 'not experiencing a crime spike' and noting that violent crime hit its lowest level in more than three decades last year. Violent crime fell 26% in the first seven months of 2025 after dropping 35% in 2024, and overall crime declined 7%, according to the city's police department. However, gun violence remains a concern. In 2023, Washington had the third-highest gun homicide rate among US cities with populations over 500,000, according to advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. The deployment of National Guard troops mirrors a tactic Trump used in Los Angeles, where he sent 5,000 troops in June in response to protests over his administration's immigration raids. State and local officials objected to that move as unnecessary and inflammatory. A federal trial began Monday in San Francisco to determine whether the Trump administration violated US law by deploying National Guard troops and US Marines without the approval of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Also Read: COAS credits Trump with 'preventing many wars' The president has broad authority over the 2,700 members of the DC National Guard, unlike in states where governors typically hold that power. Guard troops have been dispatched to Washington many times, including after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters. During his first term, Trump also sent the National Guard into Washington in 2020 to quell mostly peaceful demonstrations during nationwide protests over police brutality following the murder of George Floyd. Civil rights leaders denounced the deployment, which Bowser opposed. The US military is generally prohibited under law from directly participating in domestic law enforcement activities.
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Donald Trump sends National Guard to DC to curb street crime
During a White House press conference on Monday, the Republican leader also invoked section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which allows for the DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to be placed under federal control. He branded the move a 'Liberation Day' for DC, despite the action being disproportionate to crime statistics in the area. READ MORE: Pro-trans activists' protest forces Scottish city's chambers to close 'I'm announcing a historic action to rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse', the convicted felon told reporters. The city's mayor, Democrat Muriel Bowser, rejected Trump's claims about crime, telling MSNBC: 'We are not experiencing a crime spike.' She said that a crime spike had impacted the capital in 2023, though violent crime is now down 26% compared to 2024 – placing its crime rates at a 30-year low. Federal crime statistics also counter Trump's claims, showing rates in DC mirror a nationwide trend of declining offence rates over the past two years. Trump claimed that DC has a higher murder rate than some of the 'worst places on Earth', referencing cities like Lima, Mexico City and Baghdad. In response, Bowser said that likening the city to a war-torn area like Baghdad is 'hyperbolic and false'. READ MORE: Wikipedia loses Online Safety Act legal challenge Alongside deploying the National Guard and placing the MPD under control of Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump has also formally declared a public safety emergency in DC and will reportedly place up to 120 FBI agents on overnight street patrols. The news comes after the White House's announcement of a plan to deploy federal law enforcement on the streets of Washington on Thursday – an initiative that appears to have been prompted by the recent assault on former DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) employee Edward Coristine during an attempted carjacking In the press conference, he also falsely claimed to be heading to Russia on Friday to speak with Vladimir Putin; Putin will in fact be meeting Trump in Alaska as the president aims to end the war in Ukraine.
