Trump threatens national emergency to extend federal control over D.C. police amid crime crackdown

08/14/2025 / By Kevin Hughes

President Donald Trump warned he may declare a national emergency to maintain federal control over Washington, D.C.’s police force if Congress doesn’t extend the 30-day authorization granted earlier, bypassing legislative approval if necessary.
Trump invoked the 1973 Home Rule Act to temporarily federalize D.C. police, deploying the National Guard and clearing homeless encampments. Over 100 arrests have been made, with refusals of shelter or treatment potentially leading to jail time.
Due to D.C.’s status as a federal enclave, Trump holds unique authority to override local governance, though such actions would face legal barriers in states. Mayor Muriel Bowser called the move “unprecedented” but stopped short of legal challenges.
Despite Trump’s rhetoric, local data shows violent crime in D.C. has dropped sharply (35 percent since 2023). Critics accuse him of authoritarian overreach, comparing his tactics to historical autocrats’ suppression of local law enforcement.
The standoff reflects tensions over federalism, with Trump hinting at expanding interventions to cities like New York and Chicago. Congress must decide whether to extend federal control or trigger an emergency declaration, reshaping federal-local power dynamics.

President Donald Trump has warned he may declare a national emergency to maintain federal control of Washington, D.C.’s police force if Congress fails to extend the 30-day authorization granted earlier this month. The move comes as part of a broader crackdown on crime and homelessness in the nation’s capital, where over 100 arrests have been made since federal forces intervened. (Related: Dark money fuels DC anti-Trump crackdown protests as cities grapple with crime crisis)

Speaking at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, Aug. 13, Trump signaled his readiness to bypass legislative approval if necessary. “Well, if it’s a national emergency, we can do it without Congress,” he told reporters. “We think the Democrats will not do anything to stop crime, but we think the Republicans will do it almost unanimously.”

The president emphasized his administration’s plans to seek “long-term extensions” of federal oversight, arguing that 30 days is insufficient. “You can’t have 30 days,” Trump said. “We’re going to do this very quickly, but we’re going to want extensions. I don’t want to call a national emergency, but if I have to, I will.”

Federalization of D.C. police and National Guard deployment

Trump’s intervention began on Aug. 11, when he invoked a provision of the 1973 Home Rule Act allowing temporary federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department during emergencies. The operation also mobilized the National Guard and federal law enforcement agencies under his March executive order creating the Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reported that federal forces have cleared 70 homeless encampments, with only two remaining on federal parkland. Those refusing shelter or treatment face possible jail time. “The removal of those two remaining camps is scheduled for this week,” Leavitt stated.

Unique legal leverage in D.C.

Legal experts note that Trump’s actions are possible due to Washington, D.C.’s status as a federal enclave, granting the president powers unavailable elsewhere. “D.C. as a federal enclave is fundamentally different than a state or a local government,” said Anthony Michael Kreis, a law professor at Georgia State University.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, criticized the move as “unsettling and unprecedented” but stopped short of legal challenges. “It’s times like these when America needs to know that D.C. should be the 51st state,” she posted on social media.

Crime data vs. rhetoric

The crackdown clashes with local crime statistics showing a 35 percent drop in violent crime since 2023 and a 26 percent overall decline in 2025. Critics, including former Obama administration official Richard Stengel, accuse Trump of authoritarian overreach. “Throughout history, autocrats use a false pretext to impose government control over local law enforcement,” Stengel warned.

Legal barriers

While Trump has floated deploying the National Guard to cities like New York and Chicago, legal barriers prevent direct federal takeovers. Kreis told USA Today, “The federal government does not have the authority to commandeer state and local officials against their will.”

Still, Trump remains defiant: “We’re going to take back our capital. And then we’ll look at other cities also.”

Broader implications

The standoff highlights tensions over federalism and law enforcement as Trump escalates his crime-fighting agenda. With the National Guard already assisting ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] in multiple cities, the administration appears poised for further confrontations with Democratic-led jurisdictions.

As the 30-day deadline approaches, Congress faces a pivotal decision: extend federal control or force Trump’s hand on a national emergency declaration. Either outcome could redefine the balance of power between Washington and America’s cities.

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Watch the video below about President Trump increasing federal law enforcement in D.C. amid the chaos there.

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