Federal authorities reportedly face accusations from the District of Columbia's Attorney General, claiming an aggressive power grab over the city's police department.
The District of Columbia finds itself embroiled in a legal battle with the U.S. Justice Department, challenging the Trump administration's attempt to take operational control over the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On August 11, 2025, President Trump declared a crime emergency in D.C., citing high violent crime rates, and delegated authority to the Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to direct the MPD for federal purposes under section 740(a) of the Home Rule Act. This move, according to the District, infringes on its home rule rights.
The District filed a lawsuit on August 15, 2025, arguing that the takeover order unlawfully asserts federal "operational control" over the MPD, undermines local governance, and threatens public safety by disrupting the police command structure. The suit claims this move is illegal under the Home Rule Act, which grants D.C. authority over its police department, and requests a federal judge to vacate Bondi's order and affirm that the U.S. Attorney General lacks such authority.
Last night, the U.S. Attorney General put a federal official in charge of the D.C. police department. This decision has raised concerns from the D.C. Attorney General, who argues that federal power over D.C. is not absolute and is supposed to be temporary and for emergencies. The attorney general also expressed concern that the situation puts the safety of D.C. residents and visitors at risk because the police don't know who's in charge.
Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, is overseeing the case. During a recent hearing, she suggested that the executive order may go too far, potentially infringing on the current head of the Drug Enforcement Administration's ability to take over the D.C. Police Department. She also pointed out an error in the executive order, as it did not correctly spell the name of the DEA head.
The judge expressed a desire for both sides to find a practical solution, as the situation requires clarity for the police regarding who is in charge. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi states that the federal government's involvement is in response to a significant crime problem in D.C. She added that the federal government has been working with D.C. police for the last few nights, resulting in approximately 150 arrests and firearm seizures.
The District's lawsuit aims to block the federal government's move against the city police, which is deemed a hostile takeover. The judge held a hearing and expressed a desire for both sides to find a practical solution, as the situation requires clarity for the police regarding who is in charge.
Meanwhile, a separate incident involving a man named Sean Dunn has gained attention. He allegedly threw a sandwich at law enforcement and was subsequently arrested and charged with assault on a police officer. A grand jury would need to indict Sean Dunn on the charge of assaulting or resisting a federal officer. Until then, he was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court in September.
In normal circumstances, the D.C. mayor and police chief have operational control over the police force. However, the current situation has thrown this norm into question, with the federal government asserting its authority over the MPD. The legal dispute between the District and the Justice Department continues, with both sides presenting their arguments in court.
- The legal dispute between the District and the Justice Department, centering on the U.S. Attorney General's intervention into the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), has called into question the boundaries of federal authority in general-news and politics.
- The recent news involving the District's lawsuit against the federal government's control over the MPD, along with the ongoing crime emergency and Sean Dunn's assault charge, are stirring debates among legal circles about crime-and-justice issues in the District of Columbia.
