Federal authority over the Washington police entrusted by Trump, National Guard mobilized
Title: Federal Takeover of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department Sparks Protests and Legal Challenges
On August 11, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, D.C., citing a crisis of "bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor" in the city. This move, however, has been met with sharp criticism and legal challenges.
Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole as "Emergency Police Commissioner" to lead this takeover. The stated purpose was to restore safety, enforce law, and clean up the streets of the capital. However, the city’s Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit seeking an emergency restraining order to block the takeover, calling it a "hostile takeover" that would cause "imminent, irreparable harm" to law and order.
The lawsuit alleges that the takeover likely violates the D.C. Home Rule Act, which requires that such control be coordinated with the city’s mayor. A judge, Ana Reyes, suggested that the Department of Justice must revise the executive order or face legal blocking.
Politically, House Republicans introduced a resolution to extend Trump’s federal control beyond the 30-day limit imposed by law, supporting his evaluation of necessity for continuing control. Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, strongly oppose this extension and have vowed to block it, likely resulting in a legislative and legal stalemate. Trump has suggested using a national emergency declaration to bypass Congress, but this approach is expected to trigger further court battles.
Meanwhile, protests took place in Washington on Aug. 11, primarily in response to Trump's announcement to place the MPD under federal control. The protest at Dupont Circle was covered by REUTERS and YONHAP, but it was not mentioned at the press conference held at the Wilson Building. The press conference, attended by Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Chief of Police at the MPD, Pamela Smith, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, focused on the federal takeover and the role of the Emergency Police Commissioner. No decisions or actions regarding the protest were taken at the press conference.
No information about the deployment of the National Guard was mentioned in this paragraph, nor were any details provided about any homeless eviction plans. The National Guard deployment was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, but it remains to be seen how this will unfold in the coming days.
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