Trump’s takeover of the DC police force, briefly explained

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here.

Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump announced today that he will federalize police in Washington, DC, and deploy DC National Guard troops onto city streets.

Trump’s declaration brings DC’s Metropolitan Police Department under temporary federal control, ostensibly under the oversight of Attorney General Pam Bondi. At least 800 National Guard members will also be deployed, and Trump further threatened to expand deployments to other major cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Oakland.

What does this mean for DC? It’s too soon to say what the full extent of what Trump’s takeover will look like, but at the very least, it will mean more uniformed law enforcement — including federal officers — on patrol in DC. Trump has also called for unhoused DC residents to be evicted from the city and said that police will be “allowed to do whatever the hell they want,” raising the prospect of an increasingly unaccountable police presence in DC.

Can he actually do that? Yes, seemingly, though with some caveats. Trump’s takeover of DC police can last no longer than 30 days, while his control of the DC National Guard is more open-ended. What he can’t do — but has threatened — is a unilateral takeover of DC at large, which would require an act of Congress.

Is crime in DC actually that bad? As other coverage has pointed out (and your cheerful Washington, DC-based correspondent can confirm), Trump’s depiction of DC as “overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals” bears little resemblance to reality. Violent crime in DC has declined substantially since its 2023 peak, and last year hit its lowest point in more than 30 years.

What’s the big picture? What Trump is doing with DC is technically within his authority. But given his previous use (and attempted use) of National Guard troops and law enforcement — such as during his first term when protesters were tear-gassed outside the White House — there’s plenty of cause for concern.

Let’s go with a fun story about Washington, DC, to close the newsletter. If you’ve never read this now-quite-old piece by the Washington Post’s Dan Zak about Dave Thomas Circle, you’re missing out. The circle — not actually a circle, mind you, but something much weirder — was a deeply confusing legacy of Pierre L’Enfant’s original 1791 plan for the city. The circle is no longer with us; it was replaced by a much-improved traffic pattern and a public plaza earlier this year. Hopefully, it will live on as a good bit of trivia about a great city.