US President Donald Trump announced Monday that he will deploy the military and federal law enforcement to Washington, D.C., as part of an effort to combat what he described as a surge in violent crime in the nation’s capital.

Speaking at a White House press conference, Trump said he intends to place the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and send in the National Guard. The move targets the overwhelmingly Democratic city, which has faced criticism from Republican lawmakers over crime, homelessness, and alleged financial mismanagement, even though violent crime rates have recently declined.

"This is Liberation Day in DC, and we're going to take our capital back," Trump declared.

The president, now a convicted felon who has pardoned roughly 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riot, has long argued that local authorities are too lenient. He has repeatedly threatened a federal takeover of the city of 700,000 residents, calling its crime situation “totally out of control.”

Expanding the crackdown to other cities

The move mirrors President Trump’s hardline immigration tactics, which have included sealing the southern border, carrying out mass deportations, and deploying active-duty troops against protesters in Los Angeles. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he plans to expand the new security strategy to other major cities, specifically citing issues in New York and Chicago.

Washington, D.C., however, holds a unique legal status compared to the 50 states. While the Home Rule Act of the mid-1970s granted residents the right to elect a mayor and city council, Congress still retains significant authority over the city's affairs, including its budget, limiting the district’s autonomy.

Data from Washington police show significant drops in violent crime between 2023 and 2024, although that was coming off the back of a post-pandemic surge.

Homeless encampments and federal surge

Trump escalated his rhetoric on crime and homelessness in Washington, DC, on Sunday, directing homeless individuals to "move out of the city IMMEDIATELY."

In a Truth Social post, he vowed to make the "Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before," promising to provide "places to stay" for the unhoused, but "FAR from the Capital."

He added that "[c]riminals" would be jailed "where they belong," stressing that the changes would happen quickly. "There will be no 'MR. NICE GUY," Trump wrote alongside photos of roadside tents. "We want  our Capital BACK."

An October Gallup poll showed that 64% of Americans believed crime had increased in 2024, despite FBI data indicating that violent crime across the U.S. had dropped to its lowest level in over 50 years.

"Let me be crystal clear -- crime in DC is ending, and it's ending today,"  declared Attorney General Pam Bondi, standing alongside several Cabinet members as Trump addressed the press.

Over the weekend, Trump described Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser as a “good person who has tried,” but said she had been given “many chances” to improve the city's living conditions. Bowser, for her part, has not publicly criticized Trump’s threats of a federal takeover, saying only that she remains focused on their “shared priorities.”