It’s the first day of Donald Trump ’s unprecedented takeover of law enforcement in Washington, D.C. , which he claims is necessary to regain control over crime but can best be described as an “ invented emergency .” Below are the latest updates on what’s happening in the capital, as well as the ongoing reaction. Copied Chas Danner Updated Aug. 12, 2025, 10:50 PM EDT

Who’s in charge of the D.C. police? It depends who you ask.

The Washington Post reports that both D.C. officials and the White House say they are calling the shots:

District officials said they were still in command of the department, operating as usual having received no new orders from the Trump administration. The city’s police chief, Pamela A. Smith, has been supplying ideas about how federal law e

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