As President Donald Trump travels to Alaska for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, his administration's crime-reduction efforts in Washington, D.C., are facing significant pushback. The National Guard is currently deployed in the city, collaborating with local law enforcement to implement Trump's strategy aimed at reducing violent crime. However, tensions are rising following Attorney General Pam Bondi's recent order that designates Drug Enforcement Administration head Terry Cole as the "Emergency Police Commissioner." This role would grant Cole all the powers of Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith.

D.C. officials are reacting strongly to Bondi's directive. Metropolitan Police Chief Pam Smith described the order as a potential threat to public safety. In a filing for an emergency restraining order, she stated, "In my nearly three decades in law enforcement, I have never seen a single government action that would cause a greater threat to law and order than this dangerous directive." Smith emphasized that the order would disrupt the command structure of the police force and endanger both public safety and law enforcement personnel.

The D.C. Attorney General, Brian Schwalb, has filed a request for a temporary restraining order to block Bondi's directive. A hearing on this matter has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday by D.C. District Judge Ana Reyes. The city argues that Bondi's order would effectively strip Chief Smith of her command authority, requiring her to seek permission from Cole before issuing any directives to officers. Smith warned that this requirement could "freeze public safety operations in the District of Columbia."

In response to the federalization of the Metropolitan Police Department, Democrats in Congress are introducing a joint resolution aimed at terminating Trump's control over the police force. However, this effort is unlikely to succeed in the House, where Democrats hold a minority position. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen plans to introduce similar legislation in the Senate, which also faces challenges due to the Republican majority.

Van Hollen criticized the federal takeover, calling it "an abuse of power and nothing more than a raw power grab." He added that it undermines the ability of D.C. residents to govern their own affairs. The situation continues to develop as local leaders and law enforcement officials seek to maintain control over the city's police operations amid federal intervention.