News- World: US President Donald Trump has announced that he is placing Washington, DC's police department under federal control and deploying the National Guard to the capital in response to what he described as a surge of lawlessness.

This declaration came on Monday despite police department statistics indicating that violent crime in the city reached a 30-year low in 2024.

"I'm deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order, and public safety in Washington, DC," Trump stated during a press conference at the White House, flanked by top administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi. "Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals."

This move marks Trump's continued effort to exert executive power over traditionally local law enforcement matters in Democratic-led cities.

He has dismissed criticism of manufacturing a crisis to justify increased presidential authority. Recent actions have seen hundreds of officers and agents from federal agencies, including the FBI, ICE, and the DEA, conducting operations across the city.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has strongly pushed back against Trump's claims, asserting that the city is not experiencing a crime spike and highlighting that violent crime fell 26% in the first half of 2025, following a 35% decline in 2024.

Overall crime, according to the police department, has dropped by 7%. However, gun violence remains a concern, with Washington recording one of the highest gun homicide rates among US cities with populations over 500,000 in recent years.

The National Guard deployment follows a precedent set by Trump in response to similar situations in other cities.

Earlier this year, he sent 5,000 troops to Los Angeles amid protests over his immigration policies, a tactic criticized by state and local officials as unnecessary escalation.

Trump has invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which grants him authority to take over the police department in emergencies.

He stated, "It's time for dramatic action," placing Attorney General Pam Bondi in charge of the Metropolitan Police Department.

Despite the data, which shows a significant reduction in violent crime since a peak in 2023, Trump has painted a stark picture of Washington as "one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world."

In a series of posts on Truth Social, he expressed his intent to make the capital "safer and more beautiful," calling for the immediate removal of homeless individuals from the streets, while promising temporary housing away from the city center.

In response to Trump's comments, Bowser described his comparisons of D.C. to a "war-torn country" as "hyperbolic and false." She reiterated that crime statistics reflect a much different reality, with violent crime down significantly so far in 2025.

Additionally, Trump’s recent focus on public safety has been highlighted by the injury of former software engineer Edward Coristine, known as "Big Balls," who was reportedly wounded in a carjacking incident in DC on August 3.

As federal agents and National Guard members take to the streets, questions remain about the implications of using military forces for domestic law enforcement, particularly under the provisions of the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in civilian policing.