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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is seriously considering taking federal control of Washington, D.C.’s police force and may send in the National Guard to address what he called “ridiculous” levels of crime in the nation’s capital.
The president’s comments mark a significant escalation in rhetoric and a potential constitutional flashpoint, as he openly discussed overriding the city’s authority over its police department — something that has not been done in modern U.S. history.
“We’re considering it,” Trump told reporters at a White House event when asked if a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department was an option. “Yeah, because the crime is — is ridiculous.”
Assault Sparks Presidential Response
Trump’s remarks follow the recent assault of Edward Coristine, a former staffer at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who was attacked over the weekend in Washington. The president did not name Coristine but referred to the incident in emotional terms.
“We just almost lost a young man, beautiful, handsome guy that got the hell knocked out of him the night before last,” Trump said. “What a shame.”
Trump said the federal government is considering “bringing in the National Guard, maybe very quickly,” to help restore order.
D.C. Officials Stay Quiet
Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office declined to comment on the president’s remarks. Bowser, a Democrat, has long opposed federal interference in D.C. policing and famously resisted Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops during protests in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd.
Despite Trump’s claims of rising crime, recent statistics tell a more complex story. According to preliminary data from the Metropolitan Police Department, violent crime in Washington is down 26% so far this year.
Legal and Constitutional Questions
Trump’s comments raise significant legal questions. While the president may have some emergency authority to intervene in city affairs, a full federal takeover of D.C.’s government would require congressional action. Specifically, repealing the 1973 Home Rule Act — which allows the District to elect its own leaders — would necessitate majority votes in both the House and Senate.
Experts have warned that any attempt by Trump to take unilateral control of the city’s police force would likely be challenged in court. “You’d need a justifying emergency,” a legal scholar told NBC Washington earlier this year.
Political Support and Pushback
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro expressed support for Trump’s proposal in a Fox News interview Wednesday night. “If that’s what we need to do to get it done, that’s what he should do,” Pirro said. “And I support the president.”
However, Trump’s critics have accused him of exploiting crime in Democratic-led cities to justify an expansion of federal authority, particularly in the lead-up to the 2026 elections.
Trump has long voiced frustration with Washington’s local governance, which remains subject to congressional oversight despite the city’s efforts to expand home rule and statehood.
