Trump announces the activation of the National Guard to combat Washington crime

President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he activated the troops of the National Guard and resumes the Metropolitan Police Department to combat crime in Washington, after having strengthened his federal presence on the application of laws in the national capital on Saturday.

“I am deploying the National Guard to help restore the law, order and public security in Washington, DC,” Trump told journalists at a press conference on Monday. “And they will be allowed to do their job properly.”

Trump also said that he would federalize the Washington Metropolitan Police Department to meet the crime.

National Guard troops are reserve forces which are mobilized in response to state and federal operations, including natural disasters, and are generally supervised by their governments of the respective states. However, Trump controversially deployed the troops of the California National Guard to respond to the immigration riots in June, bypassing the governor of California Gavin Newsom to send the troops.

The federal government oversees the National Guard of the Columbia District.

Trump’s remarks arise just after promising that Washington would be “released” from “crime, wild, dirt and foam” in an article on social social on Monday morning. He said in the position that “on days to ruthlessly kill or hurt the innocent are over!”

Trump launched the idea of resuming the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington and using the national guard troops to manage crime in Washington on Wednesday, following the assault of a former staff member of the Government Ministry (DOGE) on August 3 in the Washington Logan circle.

Trump threatens to federalize DC after the former employee of the employee “ large balls ” defeated violently

FBI agents and border patrols stop a man along the corridor on rue U during a federal deployment of the law in the national capital on August 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Leyden / Getty images)

“What a shame – crime rate, the rate of assaults, murders and everything else, we are not going to let it, and that includes bringing the national guard, perhaps very quickly too,” Trump told the White House on Wednesday.

Trump also told journalists at the time that he was open to the care of the Washington Metropolitan Police Service because crime in the national capital is “ridiculous”.

Although a temporary federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is justified in an emergency, Trump’s decision will probably be challenged before the court as to whether the situation in Washington is considered an emergency.

Trump historically made a fate against violence in Washington and said on Tuesday that crime was “completely out of control” in the national capital.

Meanwhile, crime in Washington is declining. Violent crimes are down 26% this year, compared to the same period in 2024, according to the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington. Similarly, assaults with a dangerous weapon is down 20% and homicides are down 12%.

Watch: Trump suggests that he will federalize DC soon, will bring the national guard after the attack on the “big bullets”

FBI agents and border patrols stop a man along the corridor on rue U during a federal deployment of the law in the national capital on August 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Leyden / Getty images)

The mayor of Washington, Muriel Bowser, challenged Trump’s description of Trump by Trump during an interview with MSNBC on Sunday and expressed his concerns about the possibility of activating the National Guard to combat city crime.

“Any comparison with a country torn apart by war is hyperbolic and false,” said Bowser.

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“I worry not to be used effectively, and I just think that it is not the most effective use of our guard,” said Bowser.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This is a news and will be updated.