Federal Intervention in D.C. Trump Seizes Control of the Police

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A Troubling Precedent?
President Donald Trump took the unprecedented step of placing Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploying 800 National Guard troops under the "public safety emergency" provision of Section 740 of the Home Rule Act.

Trump justified the dramatic action by citing rising crime and homelessness in the capital, referencing an assault on a former government staffer as a trigger. His administration framed this takeover as a necessary crackdown on disorder. However, the data tells a different story. Violent crime in D.C. has declined significantly, with violent offenses down roughly 26% from the previous year and homicide rates at a 30-year low.

To be honest this move feels different. You have people like Mayor Muriel Bowser calling the move “unsettling” and even questioned its legality. While this was backed up by the city’s Attorney General who suggested it may not even be lawful. Then there's the the D.C. police union which voiced support... I'm with all the civil rights groups this should be a warning of what's to come and it has set a dangerous precedent.

Trump hinted that cities like New York, Chicago, and Baltimore could be next if they don’t meet his administration’s definition of “law and order". Let that sink in for a bit. I'm going to drown my sorrow in another beer and look at buying more silver.