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First Night of Trump’s Federal Law Enforcement Surge in D.C. Yields Little Visible Increase

Any permanent federal control would require repealing the 1973 Home Rule Act, which legal experts say is unlikely to pass Congress or win local support

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President Donald Trump announces upcoming White House press conference on violent crime in Washington, D.C.
FILE - Mayor of the District of Columbia Muriel Bowser speaks as U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, left, listens during a news conference in Washington, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Overview

  • President Trump activated a seven-day surge of federal law enforcement under his “Making DC Safe and Beautiful” Task Force, mobilizing agents from a dozen agencies including U.S. Park Police, Capitol Police, DEA, ATF and the U.S. Marshals Service.
  • White House officials say the operation is designed to deliver marked nightly patrols in high-traffic tourist areas and known hotspots, with the option to extend beyond seven days “as needed.”
  • An Associated Press tour of D.C. streets around 1 a.m. Friday found only the usual Metropolitan Police Department cruisers and no overt presence of additional federal officers.
  • Metropolitan Police Department data show violent crime down 26% so far this year compared to 2024 and at its lowest level in over 30 years last year, calling into question the timing of the federal deployment.
  • Legal analysts warn that extending the surge or effecting a lasting federal takeover would face steep political and judicial hurdles under the District’s Home Rule Act.