Donald Trump has ordered the national guard to Washington DC and taken control of the city's police force, saying the capital is "lawless" despite official statistics showing violent crime at a 30-year low.
The president invoked section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, federalising the Metropolitan police department for the first time. He declared a public safety emergency, placing the force under the attorney general. The move is expected to last 30 days unless Congress extends it.
The defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, said 800 national guard troops would be deployed. Trump also said he may send in the military "if needed". His action was condemned by critics as an assault on the city's political independence.
Violent crime in Washington DC has fallen sharply since 2023, reaching a 30-year low on the day Trump took office and falling a further 26% this year, according to Metropolitan police reports. Homicides have dropped from 482 in 1991 to 187 last year.
The US attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, said she saw "too much violent crime being committed by young punks".
