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1h ago

Trump to Seek Extension of Federal Control Over D.C. Police as Protests Grow

Federal agents, backed by roughly 800 National Guard troops, have established checkpoints to make arrests under a takeover critics say defies data showing decades-low crime.

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)
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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Overview

  • The administration invoked Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act to assume command of the Metropolitan Police Department for 30 days and plans to seek congressional authorization or declare a national emergency to extend its control.
  • Federal agents, backed by roughly 800 National Guard troops, have deployed across Washington, D.C., establishing checkpoints and making more than 200 arrests since Monday.
  • Videos of federal officers questioning civilians have surfaced alongside scenes of protesters heckling checkpoints, fueling warnings from civil-rights groups about federal overreach.
  • The White House’s portrayal of a crime surge clashes with DOJ and FBI figures showing violent crime at a 30-year low in 2024 and a 26% drop in the first seven months of 2025.
  • Mayor Muriel Bowser and Senate Democrats led by Chuck Schumer have denounced the takeover as unnecessary and vowed to block any effort to extend the 30-day federal control.