Americans unsettled as Trump federal takeover of Washington DC spark protests
Trump said law enforcement would target homeless populations, stating, “We’re getting rid of the slums,” and described the capital as being “taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals.”
US President Donald Trump unveiled a plan to declare a public safety emergency in Washington DC, placing the city's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under federal control and deploying National Guard troops to address crime and homelessness.
Trump said law enforcement would target homeless populations, stating, "We're getting rid of the slums," and described the capital as being "taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals." He cited increases in murder, car thefts, and carjackings, arguing that the city's appearance affects national respect.
Local leaders and community groups quickly pushed back against Trump's claims and methods.
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Washington DC mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, rejected the characterization of DC as a crime-ridden city, noting violent crime is at a 30-year low. She acknowledged a "terrible" crime spike in 2023 but said swift actions have since driven a 26% reduction in violent crime this year compared to 2024, says the BBC.
Bowser described the president's order as "unsettling and unprecedented" and expressed concern over the deployment of National Guard troops to enforce local laws. She called comparisons of Washington DC to a "war-torn country" "hyperbolic and false," pledging to continue operating the city government in a manner residents can be proud of.
District Attorney General Brian Schwalb described the federal intervention as "unprecedented, unnecessary and unlawful." He stressed there is no crime emergency in DC, pointing to historic lows in violent crime last year and further decreases this year. Schwalb said he is "considering all of our options" to protect residents' rights and safety.
Political critics accused Trump of escalating tensions and selectively focusing on Democratic-run areas. They noted House Republicans have yet to address a $1.1 billion budget deficit in DC that could lead to layoffs and service cuts. Opponents also highlighted that the president's statements ignored high murder rates in several Republican-led states, reports the BBC.
Community organizations working on homelessness similarly criticized the plan. Ralph Boyd, president of So Others Might Eat (SOME), warned that forcibly relocating homeless individuals "will only transfer the problem somewhere else," disrupting access to services and undermining progress toward stable housing. Betty Gentle, SOME's senior director of advocacy, noted family homelessness is down 43% and homeless encampments have declined in DC, attributing homelessness largely to a lack of affordable housing.
Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said Trump conflates homelessness with crime and emphasized that homeless individuals are more often victims than perpetrators of crime. He cautioned that moving encampments tends to increase crime rather than reduce it and pointed to structural factors such as rising housing costs driving homelessness.
Protests against the federal takeover took place outside the White House, with demonstrators chanting "hands off DC" and "protect home rule." A speaker at the rally said, "Terrorizing families is not safety. Trump does not care about DC's safety, he cares about control."
The Trump administration's announcement marks an unusual federal intervention in the governance of the nation's capital, which traditionally operates under local authority. How the plan will proceed amid strong local resistance remains to be seen.
