The Trump administration has intensified its efforts to exert control over policing in the nation’s capital by appointing the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as Washington’s “emergency police commissioner.” This move grants the commissioner all the powers of the police chief, marking a significant federal intervention in the city’s law enforcement operations.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in a formal directive that Terry Cole, the DEA chief, will take on the responsibilities traditionally held by the District of Columbia Chief of Police. Consequently, the Metropolitan Police Department is now required to seek Cole’s approval before implementing any orders. The implications for Pamela Smith, the current police chief who is accountable to the city’s mayor, remain unclear under this new arrangement.
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb quickly rebuffed Bondi’s directive, labeling it as “unlawful” and asserting that it should not be adhered to by the city’s police officers. In a memo to Chief Smith, Schwalb emphasized that the MPD staff should continue to follow her guidance exclusively, setting the stage for a likely legal confrontation between the Democrat-dominated city and the Republican-led federal government.
Mayor Muriel Bowser took to social media to assert that no law grants a federal official the authority over the city’s personnel matters.
The directive from Bondi came shortly after Chief Smith had instructed MPD officers to cooperate with immigration agencies concerning individuals not currently detained, such as those involved in minor traffic issues. Bondi disagreed with this directive, arguing it perpetuated “sanctuary policies,” which the administration seeks to overturn.
Bondi further announced the revocation of the order, as well as other MPD policies that restricted inquiries into immigration status or prevented arrests based solely on federal immigration warrants. She declared that all future directives would require Cole’s approval.
Another expansion of federal authority
The police takeover is the latest move by President Donald Trump to test the limits of his legal authorities to carry out his agenda, relying on obscure statutes and a supposed state of emergency to bolster his tough-on-crime message and his plans to speed up the mass deportation of people in the U.S. illegally.
It also marks one of the most sweeping assertions of federal authority over a local government in modern times. While Washington has grappled with spikes in violence and visible homelessness, the city’s homicide rate ranks below those of several other major U.S. cities and the capital is not in the throes of the public safety collapse the administration has portrayed.
The late-night announcement came after an eventful day in the ongoing federal operation. Smith’s earlier directive effectively brought together Trump’s moves on city law enforcement and his nationwide efforts to curb immigration, and Trump had praised it in the hours before Bondi’s announcement.
“That’s a very positive thing, I have heard that just happened,” Trump said of Smith’s order. “That’s a great step. That’s a great step if they’re doing that.”
A population already tense from days of ramp-up began seeing more significant shows of force across the city Thursday. National Guard troops watched over some of the world’s most renowned landmarks and Humvees took position in front of the busy main train station. Volunteers helped homeless people leave long-standing encampments – to where, exactly, was often unclear.
Department of Homeland Security police stood outside Nationals Park during a game Thursday between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies. DEA agents patrolled The Wharf, a popular nightlife area, while Secret Service officers were seen in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood.
Bowser, walking a tightrope between the Republican White House and the constituency of her largely Democratic city, was out of town Thursday for a family commitment in Martha’s Vineyard but would be back Friday, her office said.
A boost in police activity, federal and otherwise
For an already wary Washington, Thursday marked a notable – and highly visible – uptick in presence from the previous two days. The visibility of federal forces around the city, including in many high-traffic areas, was striking to residents going about their lives. Trump has the power to take over federal law enforcement for 30 days before his actions must be reviewed by Congress, though he has said he’ll re-evaluate as that deadline approaches.
The response before Thursday had been gradual and, by all appearances, low key. But on Wednesday night, officers set up a checkpoint in one of D.C.’s popular nightlife areas, drawing protests. The White House said 45 arrests were made Wednesday night, with 29 people arrested for living in the country illegally; other arrests included for distribution or possession of drugs, carrying a concealed weapon and assaulting a federal officer.
Troops were stationed outside the Union Station transportation hub as the 800 Guard members who have been activated by Trump start in on missions that include monument security, community safety patrols and beautification efforts, the Pentagon said.
“They will remain until law and order has been restored in the District as determined by the president, standing as the gatekeepers of our great nation’s capital,” Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said. “The National Guard is uniquely qualified for this mission as a community-based force with strong local ties and disciplined training.”
Wilson said the troops won’t be armed and declined to give more details on what the safety patrols or beautification efforts would entail or how many Guard members have already been sent out on the streets.
National Guard Major Micah Maxwell said troops will assist law enforcement in a variety of roles, including traffic control posts and crowd control. The Guard members have been trained in de-escalation tactics and crowd control equipment, Maxwell said.
The White House said Thursday that Guard members aren’t making arrests but are “protecting federal assets, providing a safe environment for law enforcement officers to make arrests, and deterring violent crime with a visible law enforcement presence.”
Although the current deployment is taking place under unprecedented circumstances, National Guard troops are a semi-regular presence in D.C., typically being used during mass public events like the annual July 4 celebration. They have regularly been used in the past for crowd control in and around Metro stations.
Trump on Thursday denied that the federal law enforcement officials he sent into Washington’s streets to fight crime have been diverted from priority assignments like counterterrorism. Asked if he was concerned about that, Trump said he’s using a “very small force” of soldiers and that city police are now allowed to do their job properly amidst his security lockdown.
For homeless residents, an uncertain time is at hand
Meanwhile, about a dozen homeless residents in Washington packed up their belongings with help from volunteers from charitable groups and staffers from some city agencies. Items largely were not forcibly thrown out by law enforcement, but a garbage truck idled nearby.
Several protesters held signs close by, some critical of the Trump administration. Once the residents had left, a construction vehicle from a city agency cleared through the remains of the tents.
The departures were voluntary, but they came in response to a clear threat from the Trump administration. Advocates expect law enforcement officers to fan out across D.C. in the coming days to forcibly take down any remaining homeless encampments. In Washington Circle, which still contains a few tents, city workers put up signs announcing “general cleanup of this public space” starting at 10 a.m. Monday.
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