President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he is deploying the National Guard in Washington, D.C., and taking control of the city’s police department to address crime concerns. This decision comes despite the city’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, stating that crime rates are actually declining in the capital.

During a news briefing, Trump declared a public safety emergency and criticized Washington's safety record compared to other major cities, including capitals in Iraq, Brazil, and Colombia. He emphasized his administration's efforts to remove homeless encampments from parks, stating, "We’re getting rid of the slums, too," and asserting that Washington is just the beginning of a broader initiative.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi will oversee the D.C. Metro Police Department as part of this federal intervention. Trump’s actions reflect a continuation of his law enforcement agenda, which has previously focused on immigration and border security. However, the deployment of at least 500 federal law enforcement officials, including FBI agents and personnel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, raises questions about the relationship between federal and local authorities.

Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to justify the National Guard's deployment. A source familiar with the situation indicated that the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Marshals Service are also contributing personnel to patrols in the city.

Mayor Bowser, a Democrat, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of using the National Guard for local law enforcement. She suggested that federal support would be better directed toward funding more prosecutors or filling long-standing vacancies in the D.C. Superior Court. "I just think that’s not the most efficient use of our Guard," she said, acknowledging that the decision ultimately rests with the president.

In recent social media posts, Trump portrayed Washington as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, a characterization Bowser dismissed as exaggerated. She noted that violent crime has decreased since a spike earlier in 2023, countering Trump’s narrative.

Trump also focused on homelessness in his remarks, stating, "The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY," while indicating that criminals would be incarcerated. His administration has directed federal law enforcement agencies to increase their presence in Washington for an initial seven days, with the possibility of extension.

Despite Trump’s claims, police statistics show that homicides, robberies, and burglaries have decreased this year compared to the same period in 2024, with overall violent crime down 26% from the previous year. The White House did not provide further details about the announcement, and both the police department and mayor’s office did not respond to inquiries regarding future actions.

Trump has suggested that federal control over Washington could be reinstated, a move that would require repealing the Home Rule Act of 1973. Bowser acknowledged that while the law allows for increased federal control under certain conditions, those conditions are not currently met in the city. "We are not experiencing a spike in crime. In fact, we’re watching our crime numbers go down," she stated.