The Democrat attorney general of Washington, D.C., sued Friday to stop President Donald Trump’s efforts to fight crime and decrease homelessness in the nation’s capital.
District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit in federal court to stop the takeover of the D.C. police department by the federal government. Schwab claimed that Trump’s actions to clean up the city were “brazenly unlawful” and an “affront to the dignity” of those who lived in the district.
“We are suing to block the federal government takeover of DC police. By illegally declaring a takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its temporary, limited authority under the law. This is the gravest threat to Home Rule DC has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it,” Schwalb said. “The federal government’s power over DC is not absolute, and it should not be exercised as such.”
Trump signed an executive order earlier this week declaring a crime emergency in the capital, giving him authority under Section 740 of the 1973 Home Rule Act to take control of the police department. DEA administrator Terry Cole has been named the head of the department.
Schwalb’s lawsuit argues that Trump is illegally exercising control over the police department through a misapplication of Section 740.
“The Administration’s actions are brazenly unlawful. They go well beyond the bounds of the President’s limited authority and instead seek a hostile takeover of MPD. They infringe on the District’s right to self-governance and put the safety of DC residents and visitors at risk,” Schwalb claimed. “This is an affront to the dignity and autonomy of the 700,000 Americans who call DC home. Our office will go to court to defend Home Rule, block the unlawful orders, and maintain MPD under District control. We have no choice but to stand up for DC residents’ rights and safety.”
In recent days, Trump has deployed agents from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Capitol Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to D.C. to crack down on crime. He has also sent around 800 National Guard troops to assist with the efforts to secure the city.
While Democrat officials and legacy media outlets have argued that crime in the district is not a problem, statistics suggest otherwise.
The homicide rate in D.C. in 2024 reached 27.3 per 100,000 residents, giving the U.S. capital the fourth-highest homicide rate of any city in the country. So far in 2025, D.C. authorities have also reported 541 assaults with a dangerous weapon, over 900 robberies, and nearly 3,000 motor vehicle thefts. While the city has reported lower violent crime levels since record highs from 2020 to 2023, violent crime remains much higher in D.C. than it did 10-15 years ago.