US President Donald Trump has unleashed a bold federal crackdown on the nation’s capital, deploying the National Guard and more than 500 federal law enforcement officers to “reestablish law and order” in Washington, DC.The move places the city’s police department under federal control and ignites a fierce battle over federal authority versus local governance.According to the Associated Press, Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act at a Monday news briefing to justify his takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department during what he called a public safety emergency. “They’re going to be allowed to do their job properly,” Trump declared, promising the National Guard would restore safety to the city.The crackdown involves personnel from multiple federal agencies including the FBI, Secret Service, DEA, ICE, and the US Marshals Service. .Trump praises Sydney Sweeney's 'Great Jeans' ad amid backlash, boosting American Eagle stock.A source familiar with the plan told the Associated Press that the federal surge includes over 100 FBI agents and roughly 40 ATF officers deployed throughout the city, with the initial operation set for seven days and the option to extend.Trump blasted Washington as a city plagued by “tents, squalor, filth, and crime,” saying it ranks worse for safety than capitals in Iraq, Brazil, and Colombia. “We’re getting rid of the slums, too,” he warned, ordering homeless individuals to “move out, immediately” with promises of relocation “far from the Capital,” while criminals “will be put in jail where they belong.”The announcement follows a high-profile assault on Edward Coristine, a senior official at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Two teenagers were arrested in connection with the attempted carjacking, and authorities continue to search for others.Local officials quickly pushed back. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser criticized Trump’s portrayal of the city, pointing to a 26% drop in violent crime compared with last year. .OLDCORN: Trump should slap '10% tithe’ on Canada to protect Christianity.“Any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false,” Bowser told MSNBC’s The Weekend. She urged federal officials to focus resources on filling 15 vacant judgeships in the DC Superior Court and increasing prosecutors — not deploying the National Guard.Bowser acknowledged the president’s authority to activate the Guard under certain conditions, but insisted those conditions “do not exist” in Washington. As DC’s National Guard answers directly to the president rather than local officials, Bowser said she can only request assistance from the Pentagon, calling the Guard deployment “not the most efficient use” of resources.Trump has hinted at seeking a full federal takeover of Washington’s governance, which would require repealing the Home Rule Act — a drastic step likely to face intense opposition.The White House declined further comment on the operation Monday.
