Overview

• On August 13 Trump declared a national emergency to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department and deploy the National Guard under emergency powers.
• The White House reported 23 arrests in the first 24 hours and said 850 federal agents are conducting round-the-clock operations, with Guard forces set to increase.
• Trump announced plans to send Congress a crime-fighting bill and request authorization to prolong federal control of the D.C. police beyond the 30-day limit.
• Official Metropolitan Police Department statistics show violent crime fell 26% and homicides dropped 12% year-on-year through mid-2025, undercutting the administration’s narrative of a crime surge.
• Civil liberties groups and Democratic lawmakers have condemned the takeover as unconstitutional and are preparing legal and legislative opposition.