Trump deploys National Guard to Washington DC as he pledges crime crackdown

US President Donald Trump on Monday deployed the National Guard to Washington DC and placed the city's police force under federal control, pledging a sweeping crackdown on crime and homelessness.

Trump claimed the capital had been "taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals" and vowed to "take our capital back". 

The takeover of the police marks an unprecedented move, placing the White House directly into the day-to-day management of one of the nation's largest municipal forces.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser rejected Trump's claims, pointing to police data showing crime in the city is at a 30-year low.

The White House released the text of Trump's executive order on Sunday, stating that "rising violence in the capital now urgently endangers public servants, citizens, and tourists, disrupts safe and secure transportation and the proper functioning of the Federal Government".

The order cites an "emergency" as the basis for federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department and directs the Attorney General to "regularly update me on the status of the special conditions of an emergency nature" requiring the use of the police for federal purposes. 

It adds that "the magnitude of the violent crime crisis places the District of Columbia among the most violent jurisdictions in the United States".

The last time such a measure was used in DC was during the 6 January 2021 riots, when pro-Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol.

According to the US Army, about 800 National Guard soldiers will be activated following Trump's orders. 

Between 100 and 200 soldiers will support law enforcement at any given time, carrying out administrative, logistics, and physical presence duties.