Washington D.C. remains mired in a toxic political war. This chaos comes on the heels of Donald Trump’s recent announcement of a crisis over crime and homelessness in the nation’s capital. The administration’s response was to federalize the National Guard troops. These troops were only ordered into the city four days prior, raising the stakes even higher in the ongoing feud between federal and local authorities. This intervention comes amid claims that Washington D.C. is overrun with lawlessness, particularly highlighting issues related to the unhoused population suffering from substance abuse and mental health challenges.
Local leaders have strongly contested these narratives, insisting that they misrepresent the truth on the ground in the city. The Democratic-led District city government, led by D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, has been responding to the rise of homelessness and tent encampments. Through all of these difficulties, the city at least can claim to have a lower homicide rate than the majority of America’s bigger cities.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi took a very aggressive step. This executive order significantly reshapes the leadership of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Even proponents of aggressive consumer protection policies would view Bondi’s scuttling of the merger as an overreach. She has sought to impose federal control over local law enforcement by appointing DEA Chief Terry Cole as D.C.’s Chief of Police. This decision grants Cole the “powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police,” which has raised alarms among local officials.
Bondi’s order puts the onus on MPD officers to receive authorization from Commissioner Cole before giving any commands. This action essentially removes any meaningful role for the future local leadership’s authority. This included filing suit against the U.S. administration led by other AG Schwalb. His goal is to obtain an enforceable judicial order that maintains authority over the police department within the district. He stated, “Members of MPD must continue to follow your orders and not the orders of any official not appointed by the Mayor.”
As the lawsuit points out, Bondi’s actions were likely illegal. Schwalb argues, “In reference to the U.S. Attorney General’s order, there is no statute that conveys the District’s personnel authority to a federal official.” He criticized what he described as a “hostile takeover” of MPD, claiming, “By declaring a hostile takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its limited, temporary authority under the Home Rule Act.”
On the ground, local leaders are not holding back in sharing their frustration. They vociferously object to the federal government’s depiction of Washington D.C. as a city engulfed in lawlessness. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser made no secret of her administration’s opposition to a federal takeover, making the case against it herself. She stated, “In reference to the U.S. Attorney General’s order, there is no statute that conveys the District’s personnel authority to a federal official.”
Though this battle has raged on behind the scenes, President Trump has been careful to praise Bondi’s orders in public. And he lauded Pamela Smith’s (no relation) having instructed MPD officers to feed information quickly into joint operations with federal agencies. He described it as a “very positive thing.” He remarked on its significance by saying, “That’s a great step. That’s a great step if they’re doing that.”
As these advancements play out, the District of Columbia should be careful to walk a tightrope between necessary federal supervision and local control. The city has a pretty established track record as a future sanctuary city. This designation creates barriers to communication between local police and federal agencies about immigration enforcement.