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Trump Seeks to Extend Federal Control Over D.C. Police

Federal forces have begun patrolling Washington, D.C., under a 30-day takeover, prompting local officials, rights groups, lawmakers to prepare legal challenges over any plan to extend control.

National Guard personnel keep watch as travelers arrive at the entrance to Union Station near the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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Department of Homeland Security Investigations agents join Washington Metropolitan Police Department officers as they conduct traffic checks at a checkpoint along 14th Street in northwest Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
George, 67, walks away with what's left of his belongings, after the city put his mattress and other belongings in a dump truck, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Overview

  • About 800 National Guard troops and federal agents from agencies including DHS and U.S. Park Police have established checkpoints, juvenile curfews and patrols across key corridors of Washington, D.C.
  • Officials report more than 200 arrests since the federal takeover began as officers conduct stops and searches at checkpoints across the city.
  • President Trump said he will ask Congress to approve an extension beyond 30 days and may declare a national emergency to bypass legislative limits.
  • Mayor Muriel Bowser, Senate Democrats led by Chuck Schumer and civil-rights organizations such as the ACLU have vowed to challenge the takeover’s duration under the Home Rule Act.
  • Justice Department and FBI data show violent crime in D.C. fell to a 30-year low in 2024 and has dropped further this year, leading critics to question the emergency rationale.