A group of Democratic lawmakers has put forward a resolution that the White House argues oversteps its authority regarding President Trump’s plans for the DC police department. This move officially ends Trump’s order from Monday.
For two years, lawmakers have been reticent, insisting that “the president has created a false narrative about crime rates in cities,” despite violent crime reaching a 30-year low in DC.
“According to the DC Home Rules Act, Congress only authorized the President to instruct the mayor to use the police for specific federal purposes—not to take control of the department,” one lawmaker pointed out.
Ruskin described Trump’s actions as a “hostile takeover,” suggesting that the president’s efforts in a city where 700,000 tax-paying citizens lack national protection are part of a broader agenda to militarize urban areas where citizens opposed him.
Tensions escalated earlier this week when Trump deployed National Guard troops to the capital and established checkpoints throughout the city.
On Thursday, the Trump administration intensified its control over the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), with Attorney General Pam Bondy appointing drug enforcement manager Terry Cole as the “emergency police chief.” They also repealed a policy preventing officers from enforcing immigration rules.
“President Trump’s actions in DC represent one of the most significant attacks on the DC Home Rules we’ve seen in decades,” stated Eleanor Holmes Norton from DC.
She argued that local police, funded by DC residents, should not be subject to federal control, and criticized the idea of using a lawsuit that would be impossible for police departments nationwide. “There’s no emergency that the president didn’t create himself,” she added.
Support for the law came from House Surveillance Ranking member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), but it’s unlikely to advance during the August break. Once lawmakers return, a GOP-controlled body is not expected to support bringing the resolution to the floor.
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has introduced a companion bill in the Senate.
Lawmakers believe Trump’s takeover of the police department is just the latest of his actions that threaten effective governance in the city, including issues related to the budget set by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Earlier this year, Congress missed an opportunity to include a suspension funding bill that would allow DC to maintain local budgets at the 2025 fiscal year level.
“Trump claims that federal control of D.C. is essential for fighting crime, but his actions jeopardize public safety in the district,” lawmakers argued. “He and his congressional allies have blocked access to $1 billion in local revenue meant for police, fire, emergency services, and other public safety initiatives.”
They noted that Trump dismissed and demoted many of DC’s seasoned prosecutors, exacerbating the backlog of criminal cases in court and leading to longer delays in justice for victims.
Van Hollen emphasized that Trump was absent on January 6 when DC truly needed National Guard support. “This current move is simply a misuse of power,” he asserted.
“The District of Columbia has made important strides in public safety recently, and there’s more we can achieve if Trump and House Republicans cease their efforts to block DC from accessing $1 billion from their own funds that are critical for police and public services,” he concluded.
