President Donald Trump’s takeover of the Washington, D.C., police department will temporarily reduce the district’s autonomy.
Trump can more easily take over the Metropolitan Police Department than he can suspend the district’s home rule because ending home rule requires congressional action. Home rule is the authority by which district residents can vote for local government members and the mayor.
Recommended Stories
- Trump to extend China tariff pause, says Beijing has been 'dealing quite nicely' on trade
- Newsom calls on Trump to end redistricting push: 'Playing with fire'
- Ice cream man: Biden turns heads with trio of dessert stops
The president can determine that “special conditions of an emergency nature exist which require the use” of a federal takeover under Section 740 of the district’s Home Rule Act, which Trump declared Monday.
Trump said Attorney General Pam Bondi would lead the MPD. Under Section 740, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is sidelined, with police enforcement now being placed on Bondi.
“Effective immediately, the Mayor of the District of Columbia (Mayor) shall provide the services of the Metropolitan Police force for Federal purposes for the maximum period permitted under Section 740 of the Home Rule Act,” Trump’s executive order said.
The section additionally allows the president to deploy federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Secret Service, the Park Police, and other law enforcement bodies.
Councilman Charles Allen said Trump’s declaration was not based on reality, adding that he and other councilmembers have “tons of questions” about the takeover, including whether MPD Chief Pamela Smith will remain in her position.
“We literally don’t know the answer right now,” Allen said.
To completely abolish the home rule, Congress would have to create and pass new legislation — an unlikely move, as just a handful of elected Republicans support the repeal.
Under home rule, Congress still approves all legislation passed by the Council of the District of Columbia before it becomes law, the district’s budget, and the president’s appointment of judges in the district. Congress also has the power to amend or repeal local laws.
The district currently has substantial authority over day-to-day local affairs. Without home rule, the district’s more than 675,000 residents would lose the power to vote in local elections and run their city government.
Trump does not have the authority to “federalize” the district government without congressional approval.
While this takeover is intended to last for just 48 hours, the president can extend the control of the local police to 30 days if he notifies the top-ranking members of certain House and Senate committees that oversee the district.
Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, which oversees the district, said Monday that Trump was “rightly using executive power to take bold and necessary action to crack down on crime and restore law and order in Washington, D.C.”
TRUMP FEDERALIZES DC POLICE AND ACTIVATES NATIONAL GUARD TO COMBAT CRIME: ‘TAKE OUR CAPITAL BACK’
According to the Home Rule Act, presidential control can’t last beyond 30 days unless Congress authorizes an extension. The White House confirmed that the takeover would adhere to that limit.
Trump cited perceived high crime in deploying such a sizable federal law enforcement presence in the district. He has repeatedly threatened the district’s home rule for various reasons, including his perception of high crime, the Washington Commanders team name, and disagreements with Bowser.