President Donald Trump escalated his focus on crime in Washington, D.C., deploying hundreds of federal officers and threatening a federal takeover of the city's police force if local officials fail to meet his demands. "I'm going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before," Trump said in a social media post Sunday. "The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don't have to move out. We're going to put you in jail where you belong."
Over the weekend, up to 450 federal law enforcement officers were mobilized in the capital, including as many as 130 FBI agents reassigned from other duties to patrol alongside the Metropolitan Police Department, according to people familiar with the plan. Such joint street patrols are rare for FBI agents, whose tasks Sunday included scanning license plates for stolen vehicles and warrants.
The president is scheduled to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Eastern Time Monday, promising it "will, essentially, stop violent crime in Washington, D.C." Trump has also suggested he might deploy the National Guard and revoke aspects of the city's Home Rule, which grants local governance powers to the mayor and council.
Under existing law, the president can take control of the Metropolitan Police for 48 hours if he determines "special conditions of an emergency nature" exist, and retain control longer with congressional notification. A full federal takeover of D.C.'s government would require legislation.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who was often at odds with Trump during his first term, struck a conciliatory tone. Speaking on MSNBC, she said she shares "priorities" with Trump in fighting crime and thanked federal agencies "who always work cooperatively with us." She denied the city is facing a major crime spike, pointing to downward trends and noting the National Guard in D.C. operates under presidential authority.
Twelve of thirteen D.C. Council members declined to comment last week, with Councilmember Christina Henderson attributing court backlogs to insufficient federal judicial nominations. Bowser's approach contrasts with her more confrontational stance in 2020, when she ordered "Black Lives Matter" painted in front of the White House.
On Sunday, the immediate impact of the federal surge was less dramatic than Trump's rhetoric suggested. Groups of uniformed agents from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies were seen walking in pairs or small groups, occasionally responding to incidents alongside local police.
Some residents voiced confusion about the visible federal presence, while homeless residents expressed concern about displacement. "I'm definitely afraid that he could do whatever he wants to do, but I can't live my life in fear," said Greg Evans, 38, who lives in a camp near the Lincoln Memorial. Another resident, George Morgan, 65, said the country should focus on using its wealth to "help people who need housing and health care."
Trump linked his homeless removal push to a broader effort to "beautify" the capital, writing, "Before the tents, squalor, filth, and Crime, it was the most beautiful Capital in the World. It will soon be that again." He has not detailed where displaced residents would go.
