President’s crackdown in DC widens as he seeks greater power over authorities

President Donald Trump’s unprecedented assertion of federal control over Washington DC has expanded beyond police takeover to encompass a broader power grab over local authorities, with the administration deploying National Guard troops and hundreds of federal agents whilst threatening further restrictions on the city’s limited self-governance. The crackdown has yielded more than 100 arrests since August 7, marking a significant escalation in federal intervention.

Federal takeover accelerates
Trump announced on Sunday that he was placing the Washington DC police department “under direct federal control” whilst deploying National Guard troops to the nation’s capital, citing the need to restore order in the city. Law enforcement officials in Washington DC have arrested more than 100 people since August 7, as the president implements his campaign promise to combat crime in the capital.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said roughly 850 federal law enforcement officers and agents fanned out across the city Monday night and made 23 arrests on charges ranging from homicide and drug crimes to skipping out on a fare and reckless driving. The surge represents one of the largest federal law enforcement operations in a US city outside wartime conditions.

Mayor Bowser’s constrained response
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has adopted a measured response to Trump’s actions, describing them as an “authoritarian push” during a private videoconference with community leaders whilst publicly emphasising cooperation with federal authorities. “What I’m focused on is the federal surge and how to make the most of the additional officer support that we have,” Bowser told reporters after a Tuesday meeting with Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The mayor’s position reflects the unique constitutional constraints facing DC leadership, with federal law plainly giving the president the power to assume control of Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department for up to 30 days at a time when he declares an emergency. Bowser acknowledged these limitations, noting that Trump “has prerogatives in DC unlike anywhere else in the country.”

Constitutional and financial leverage
The president’s actions are backed by significant constitutional authority over the nation’s capital, with Congress holding ultimate power to determine DC laws despite the city’s “home rule” charter granted in 1973. Trump has publicly mused about returning the limited powers of Washington’s local government to federal control, raising concerns about the future of DC’s limited autonomy.

The administration also wields substantial financial leverage, with Bowser’s administration fighting to get Congress and Trump to reverse course on a law enacted this year that froze $1 billion in city money. This financial pressure compounds the political constraints facing local leadership in resisting federal intervention.

Democratic opposition and broader implications
National Democratic leaders have condemned Trump’s actions more forcefully than Bowser, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries calling the move an “unjustified power grab” and describing the Trump administration as pursuing “the personal and political agenda of a wannabe king.”

Justin Bibb, the mayor of Cleveland and president of the Democratic Mayors Association, said municipal leaders across the country are watching developments in Washington with “wary eyes”, expressing concerns about potential federal intervention in other cities.

Long-term federal control sought
President Trump said he will seek ‘long-term’ federal control of the DC police force during his remarks at the Kennedy Center, suggesting the current 30-day emergency period may be extended indefinitely. This represents a fundamental shift in federal-local relations that could establish precedents for intervention in other jurisdictions.

The crackdown comes despite violent crime rates in the city having been falling, raising questions about the proportionality of the federal response and its underlying motivations beyond public safety concerns.

REFH – Newshub, August 14, 2025