Trump's DC emergency to expire as Congress declines extension

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Politico
8 Sep 2025 23:34

US President Donald Trump's 30-day emergency security order in Washington, DC, will expire on September 10 after Congress declined to extend it.

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Pigeons sit on Columbus Fountain at Union Station, as the US Capitol building is seen in the background, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

The emergency security order enacted by US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, will expire on September 10 after congressional leaders opted not to extend the measure, Politico reported Monday.

Trump invoked the "public safety emergency" on August 11, deploying National Guard troops and federalizing parts of the Metropolitan Police Department. He vowed the campaign would not stop in the capital, pledging to "restore order" in other cities he described as crime-ridden, including New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Oakland, and Los Angeles. The 30-day authorization is set to lapse this week.

Three congressional sources told Politico that House leaders have no plans to bring an extension vote to the floor. While Republicans could request one, Democrats have the procedural means to block it.

DC crackdown ends

Since the deployment, Attorney General Pamela Bondi reported that law enforcement in Washington detained 2,120 individuals and seized 214 illegal firearms.

The measures, however, sparked significant backlash locally. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser accused Trump of overreach, arguing the city did not require federal intervention. Residents and rights groups staged protests under banners such as "We Are All DC," denouncing what they called an undemocratic occupation. The DC attorney general also filed a lawsuit contending the order violated the Home Rule Act and Posse Comitatus Act, which restrict the military's role in civilian policing.

The decision not to extend the order reflects broader political divisions. Senior Republicans defended the crackdown as necessary, while Democrats characterized it as a dangerous precedent. With the emergency set to expire, Bowser has instructed local agencies to continue coordination through municipal emergency centers rather than federal mandates.