Particle.news
Download on the App Store
150 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

Washington Seeks Court Order to Halt Trump’s Federal Control of Its Police

City officials argue the appointment of a DEA chief as emergency police commissioner exceeds presidential authority under the Home Rule Act.

Image
Image
Terry Cole, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and interim federal administrator for the DC Metropolitan Police Department, during a television interview outside the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. US President Donald Trump announced he would take control of Washington's DC's Metropolitan Police Department and deploy the National Guard as part of a push to reduce crime and homelessness in the nation's capital. Photographer: Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg
A National Guard vehicle is parked near the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 14, 2025.

Overview

  • U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi directed DEA Administrator Terry Cole to assume all powers of the D.C. police chief, rescind local limits on immigration inquiries and require MPD directives to have his approval.
  • D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a federal lawsuit and emergency restraining order claiming the takeover violates the Home Rule Act and unlawfully displaces city governance.
  • Mayor Muriel Bowser publicly ordered MPD officers to ignore federal commands and continue reporting to city-appointed leadership, saying no statute grants DOJ personnel authority over local police.
  • Approximately 800 National Guard troops along with DEA, DHS and Secret Service personnel are conducting monument security, traffic checkpoints, crowd control and patrols in key areas.
  • The president’s 30-day takeover authority ends in mid-September unless Congress approves an extension, with federal courts and lawmakers set to review its legality and potential expansion.