Washington, Aug 12(HS): U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the activation of 800 National Guard troops and assumed temporary federal control of Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department — an unprecedented move that has ignited fierce opposition from city officials, who insist there is no crime emergency.

Under the plan, 100–200 Guard soldiers will assist local law enforcement at any given time, providing administrative, logistical, and security support. Trump justified the intervention as a crackdown on “violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals,” vowing to “rescue our nation’s capital from crime.”

Data Tells a Different Story

Official figures sharply contradict Trump’s claims. Metropolitan Police statistics show violent crime in D.C. reached 30‑year lows in 2024 and has fallen another 26% so far in 2025. Robberies are down by more than a quarter, and homicides have dropped 12%. Nationally, violent crime fell 4.5% between 2023 and 2024, according to FBI estimates.

Local Leaders Push Back

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb denounced the deployment as “unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful”, noting that federal law allows such takeovers only during declared emergencies. “There is no crime crisis here,” Schwalb said, adding that the city is “considering all options” to protect residents’ rights.

Trump’s move, enabled by a rarely invoked clause in the D.C. Home Rule Act, places Attorney General Pam Bondi in charge of the police department for up to 30 days. Critics warn the step risks militarizing civilian policing and eroding local autonomy.

Political Overtones

The Guard call‑up marks the largest such deployment in D.C. since 2020 and comes as Trump sharpens his “law‑and‑order” messaging ahead of a politically charged campaign season. Analysts say the clash sets up a legal and political battle over federal reach into the capital’s governance — and whether the president’s narrative on crime matches reality.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar