Congress is preparing for a pitched fight over Washington, D.C., crime as President Donald Trump pursues a federal takeover of the district.

When lawmakers return in September, they could have on their hands a pair of requests to expand the president’s federal crackdown on carjackings and other acts of violence in the District of Columbia. The most immediate issue is whether Trump can keep the Metropolitan Police Department under his control for longer than 30 days, which is the statutory limit for the powers he invoked unilaterally earlier this week.

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The political flashpoint over crime could also seep into an already bitter fight over government funding that expires on Sept. 30. The White House plans to ask Congress for money to hire more district police and prosecutors, though it is not yet clear if Trump will submit the request as part of a year-end funding deal.

Since the president declared an emergency in the district on Monday, a dramatic step that brought in National Guard troops to patrol the city, lawmakers of both parties have promised to introduce legislation responding to the takeover.

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, released draft text on Wednesday that would allow Trump to keep the police under his control for rolling 30-day periods with a simple notification to Congress. Under current law, lawmakers must approve any extension beyond the initial 30 days.

Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, want to curtail the authority of Trump and future presidents. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), a district-area lawmaker and ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, will introduce a resolution to end Trump’s local emergency.

A separate bill from Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) would remove the presidential power to mobilize the district police altogether. The mayor would also be given control over the D.C. National Guard, which Trump has deployed to assist law enforcement.

Neither side’s legislation is likely to become law, given the partisan makeup of Congress. Republicans control both chambers, meaning GOP bills could pass the House, but the Senate’s filibuster makes it difficult for them to send anything to Trump’s desk.

As the minority party, Democratic legislation is similarly unlikely to go anywhere as congressional GOP leaders express support for the president’s actions in D.C.

The moves effectively set the table for a messaging war that offers vastly different portrayals of Trump’s actions. In Democrats’ view, Trump is stirring up a manufactured crisis to pursue an “authoritarian” crackdown on blue jurisdictions. Crime in Washington has fallen since a pandemic-era peak but remains stubbornly high relative to some major cities.

To Republicans, Trump is simply using the tools at his disposal to address the perceived unwillingness of district leaders to protect their own constituents.

That GOP loyalty could fray as Trump suggests he can control district police indefinitely. On Wednesday, he said he would seek congressional approval for an extension but claimed he had the power on his own.

In the meantime, Republicans are eager to put Democrats on defense over crime, as they successfully did under former President Joe Biden in 2023. 

At the time, Biden and Democrats helped approve a rollback of more lenient criminal penalties enacted by the city council. Trump has teased that he wants to send more legislation addressing the issue to Congress.

“Fighting crime is a good thing. We have to explain — we’re going to fight crime, that’s a good thing,” Trump said Wednesday. “The place is going to hell, and we’ve got to stop it. So, instead of saying, ‘He’s a dictator,’ they should say, ‘We’re going to join him and make Washington safe.'”

Democrats will also face pressure to approve a “D.C. security fund” being drawn up by the White House and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) if it is submitted in time for government funding talks.

The money is separate from a $1.1 billion hole in D.C.’s budget that Congress still needs to fix. The Senate voted to close the shortfall, caused by an omission in March’s government funding bill, but the House has yet to act.

The impasse led to Democratic claims that Republicans do not care about D.C. police after Mayor Muriel Bowser warned of staffing cuts for first responders.

The posturing is taking place against the backdrop of a possible shutdown fight over government funding, with Trump’s decision to “impound,” or leave unspent, billions in appropriated dollars remaining a major sticking point in talks with the Democrats.

TRUMP TO ASK CONGRESS FOR ‘SECURITY FUND’ TO COMBAT DC CRIME

On Wednesday, Trump said he would be willing to meet with Democratic leaders in Congress but called it “almost a waste of time” given the partisan gridlock. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) shot back, saying Trump’s presidency was a “waste of leadership.”

Those conversations won’t pick back up in earnest until Congress returns from the August recess. In September, Republicans also have planned a House Oversight Committee hearing on public safety featuring Bowser and other D.C. officials.