Latest news with #federalcontrol
CNN
an hour ago
- Politics
- CNN
DC Mayor: Trump's Takeover Is A Message To Other Cities - Laura Coates Live - Podcast on CNN Podcasts
DC Mayor: Trump's Takeover Is A Message To Other Cities Laura Coates Live 46 mins Trump announced that he is placing the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and is deploying the National Guard to deal with crime in the city.
Wall Street Journal
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
National Guard Troops Begin Arriving in D.C. After Trump Deployment
President Trump has deployed roughly 800 members of the National Guard to the nation's capital and taken the city's police department under federal control. Photo: Annabelle Gordon/Reuters
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
DC mayor says Trump takeover shows why US capital should be 51st state
Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is advocating for the city to become the 51st state after President Donald Trump announced the federal government would take control of the local Metropolitan Police Department. Bowser, who has been the city's mayor since 2015, made the remarks during an appearance on Charlamagne Tha God's radio show 'The Breakfast Club' on Tuesday, Aug. 12. 'It's times like this when America needs to know why your nation's capital, a place where 700,000 tax-paying Americans live, should be the 51st state,' said Bowser on the radio show. '[Trump] wants to send the message to cities that if he can get away with this in Los Angeles, if he can get away with this in DC, he can get away with it in New York, or Baltimore or Chicago, or any other place where millions of people live, work and are doing everything the right way.' On Monday, Aug. 11, Trump announced he'd be invoking Section 740 of the Home Rule Act to take control of the police department. The 1973 law grants Washington, DC residents limited authority to govern themselves. Under the law, the president can take control of local police for two days, but any additional time would require congressional notice or an amendment to the existing law. After 30 days, Trump would need congressional approval to retain control of DC police. Trump has touted the idea of taking over the police force since 2020, when the Black Lives Matter protests were taking hold of the city, and has since voiced his criticisms of Washington, DC leadership. His recent attempt to crack down on violent crime came after a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee was assaulted during an attempted carjacking on Aug. 3. 'We're going to take our capital back,' said Trump during a news briefing at the White House on Aug. 11. 'Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people.' The president also said he'd be deploying National Guard troops into the city as part of the effort. Bowser refuted the characterization that violent crime in the city has gotten out of control and disagreed with the president's actions. It's the first time a president has taken control of local police. According to data from the Metropolitan Police Department, violent crime in DC has fallen by 26% compared to the same period last year. 'The numbers just don't justify the action,' said Bowser. She said it's 'not a good idea' for local police, who have gained the trust of city residents, to be used in a way that makes communities fearful. Bowser said it appears the president is targeting urban areas where he is less popular, including DC. Trump, she said, is 'very aware' of the number of DC residents who voted for him in the 2024 election and has, in turn, taken an aggressive stance. About 6% of city residents voted for the president in the 2024 election. The president has named other liberal-leaning cities, like Chicago and Los Angeles, as places where he might send federal troops next. Charlamagne Tha God asked Bowser if she believes Trump's actions could be a 'trial run for a police state.' While she didn't directly respond to the question, she said: 'It is a step in fascism when the federal government can bigfoot sovereign states. 'Right now... he's trying to make it normal where citizens say the federal government should overtake local policing and try to make that a normal thing, so if he tries it in other places, people will be desensitized to it.' She continued: 'We can't be desensitized to it because it's not normal.' Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump takeover shows why DC should be 51st state, mayor says
CNN
8 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Trump claims Washington's murder rate is higher than Bogotá or Mexico City. Here's what the stats from those countries say
US President Donald Trump has stepped up his criticism of the security situation in Washington, DC, now claiming that the US capital has a homicide rate higher than some Latin American capitals such as Bogotá, Mexico City and Lima. During a press conference on Monday, Trump announced that he would place the Metropolitan Police Department 'under direct federal control' and deploy 800 National Guard troops in an effort to 'take back the city.' 'The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogotá, Colombia; Mexico City, or some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on Earth. It's much higher,' Trump said. Trump said the move to 'liberate' Washington was part of a broader initiative to 'take back control' of cities he said were threatened by violence. 'All is double or triple, so you want to live in places like that? I don't think so,' the president said, referring to the fact that Washington surpasses Latin American cities like Brasilia, Panama City, and San José in homicide rates. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called Trump's decision to place the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploy the National Guard 'alarming and unprecedented.' While she said she wasn't entirely surprised, she warned in a press conference that she would not 'minimize the intrusion on the autonomy' of the city. Bowser also assured residents that the local government continues to operate 'in a way that makes citizens proud' and has since met with Attorney General Pam Bondi, who, according to the executive order, will have the authority delegated by Trump to coordinate actions with the city. The mayor also clarified that 'nothing has changed' in the Metropolitan Police Department's organizational chart. Trump based his statements on a graph corresponding to 2024, which shows a homicide rate of 27.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in Washington, a figure that – according to him – would place it above Bogotá, Colombia (15), Panama City, Panama (15), San José, Costa Rica (13), Mexico City, Mexico (10), Lima, Peru (7.7), and Brasilia, Brazil (6.8). Official statistics for all these cities, obtained from organizations such as Mexico's INEGI, the Public Prosecutor's Office of Panama, and the goverment of the capital of Brazil, Brasilia, among others, seem to confirm Trump's statement: Washington did surpass several Latin American capitals in the murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants in recent years, although this is only one of many other crime rates. However, the most recent official data reflect a more nuanced picture. According to an analysis by CNN journalist Daniel Dale, crime in Washington has declined significantly since a spike in 2023, when 274 homicides were recorded, the highest number in more than two decades. In 2024, murders dropped to 187, and so far in 2025, they continue to decline. Data from crime expert Jeff Asher, cited by Dale, indicates that homicides in Washington fell 34% compared with 2023 through July of this year. Furthermore, the violent crime rate in 2024 was the second lowest since 1966. A preliminary analysis by the Washington Metropolitan Police Department confirms this trend: Overall crime has also decreased so far in 2025, in line with the sustained decline seen in other major US cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
CNN
8 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Trump claims Washington's murder rate is higher than Bogotá or Mexico City. Here's what the stats from those countries say
US President Donald Trump has stepped up his criticism of the security situation in Washington, DC, now claiming that the US capital has a homicide rate higher than some Latin American capitals such as Bogotá, Mexico City and Lima. During a press conference on Monday, Trump announced that he would place the Metropolitan Police Department 'under direct federal control' and deploy 800 National Guard troops in an effort to 'take back the city.' 'The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogotá, Colombia; Mexico City, or some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on Earth. It's much higher,' Trump said. Trump said the move to 'liberate' Washington was part of a broader initiative to 'take back control' of cities he said were threatened by violence. 'All is double or triple, so you want to live in places like that? I don't think so,' the president said, referring to the fact that Washington surpasses Latin American cities like Brasilia, Panama City, and San José in homicide rates. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called Trump's decision to place the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploy the National Guard 'alarming and unprecedented.' While she said she wasn't entirely surprised, she warned in a press conference that she would not 'minimize the intrusion on the autonomy' of the city. Bowser also assured residents that the local government continues to operate 'in a way that makes citizens proud' and has since met with Attorney General Pam Bondi, who, according to the executive order, will have the authority delegated by Trump to coordinate actions with the city. The mayor also clarified that 'nothing has changed' in the Metropolitan Police Department's organizational chart. Trump based his statements on a graph corresponding to 2024, which shows a homicide rate of 27.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in Washington, a figure that – according to him – would place it above Bogotá, Colombia (15), Panama City, Panama (15), San José, Costa Rica (13), Mexico City, Mexico (10), Lima, Peru (7.7), and Brasilia, Brazil (6.8). Official statistics for all these cities, obtained from organizations such as Mexico's INEGI, the Public Prosecutor's Office of Panama, and the goverment of the capital of Brazil, Brasilia, among others, seem to confirm Trump's statement: Washington did surpass several Latin American capitals in the murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants in recent years, although this is only one of many other crime rates. However, the most recent official data reflect a more nuanced picture. According to an analysis by CNN journalist Daniel Dale, crime in Washington has declined significantly since a spike in 2023, when 274 homicides were recorded, the highest number in more than two decades. In 2024, murders dropped to 187, and so far in 2025, they continue to decline. Data from crime expert Jeff Asher, cited by Dale, indicates that homicides in Washington fell 34% compared with 2023 through July of this year. Furthermore, the violent crime rate in 2024 was the second lowest since 1966. A preliminary analysis by the Washington Metropolitan Police Department confirms this trend: Overall crime has also decreased so far in 2025, in line with the sustained decline seen in other major US cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
