President Donald Trump recently promised Washington would be "LIBERATED" from "Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum." In a Monday press conference, Trump announced the deployment of approximately 800 National Guard troops to tackle crime in Washington, DC, following a surge in federal law enforcement presence in the nation’s capital. He claimed, "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."
Additionally, Trump pledged to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department, placing it under the authority of Attorney General Pam Bondi. The move has sparked controversy, with National Guard troops typically being mobilized during natural disasters and overseen by their respective state governments. However, Trump’s decision to deploy California National Guard troops in June to address immigration riots, bypassing California Governor Gavin Newsom, has highlighted the contentious nature of his approach.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will operationalize the D.C. National Guard, with potential for more troops to be involved. Hegseth predicted that "you will see them flowing into the streets of Washington in the coming week." Trump’s remarks come after he promised Washington would be "LIBERATED" from "Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum" in a post on Truth Social earlier in the week. He claimed, "The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people, are OVER!"
Trump had discussed the possibility of taking over Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department and utilizing National Guard troops after an incident involving a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer. He stated, "What a shame – rate of crime, the rate of muggings, killings and everything else, we’re not going to let it, and that includes bringing in the National Guard, maybe very quickly, too."
While a temporary federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is justified in emergencies, Trump’s move may face legal challenges. The claim of an emergency, however, is questionable given that violent crime in Washington is down 26% this year, with assaults with a dangerous weapon down 20%, and homicides down by 12%. Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed concerns about the hyperbolic nature of Trump’s description of the city’s state, warning against inefficient use of the National Guard.
This development has sparked significant debate, with Trump’s actions raising questions about the efficacy and legality of his approach to addressing crime in the nation’s capital.