President Trump ramps up takeover of Washington's police department. Here's what to know

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Soldiers from the District of Columbia National Guard patrol along the National Mall Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, in Washington. The Washington Monument is seen in the distance. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Federal troops are patrolling the National Mall and neighborhoods across Washington in President Donald Trump's extraordinary takeover of the police department in the nation's capital.

Now the Trump administration is moving to install its own emergency police commissioner, a big step forward in one of the most sweeping uses of federal authority over a local government in modern times.

While Washington went to court on Friday to block Trump’s takeover , how it will play out and whether the federal government views this