Trump threatens federal control over the capital

President Donald Trump said he was considering seizing the police force in Washington, DC, after a former government ministry member (DOGE) was injured in an attempt to steal during the weekend.

"He has passed a bad position to put it moderate, and there is a lot of it. We’ll do something about it," Trump told reporters at the Oval Office on Wednesday evening. He also said, "This includes bringing the National Guard, and perhaps very quickly."

When I was asked if the administration wants to turn the capital Home There is a form of limited self-government in which the city worked for half a century-Trump said, "We will look at it. In fact, lawyers are already studying."

The former employee of Dog, whose assault led to Trump’s comments is Edward Corestine, nicknamed 19 years old "Large balls." Coristine worked in Public Services Management (GSA) – where access to Medicare & Medicaid databases – until his resignation in June, was given as I mentioned NPR.

According to the Metropolitan Police Administration report (MPD) joint with NPR, Coristine was standing with a woman near his car in the Lujan Serkel area – a neighborhood in the northwest of the capital – around three in the morning on Sunday when she was attacked by a group of "Nearly ten events."

"He saw that the suspects were approaching and a comment about taking the car," Read the report. "At this point, for its safety, another pushed it … to the car and turned into dealing with the suspects. Then the suspects began the attack."

Most of the suspects fled on foot when the police arrived, though MPD said The officers arrested two of them – both of them 15 years old – at the scene and accused them of unarmed theft. MPD also said that Corestine was treated at the scene due to injuries to the attack.

On Tuesday Social truth After that, Trump wrote that the crime in the capital is "Completely from control," They claim that teenagers "Random attack, escape, distortion, and shoot at innocent citizens" Adolescents’ call to prosecute as adults.

While a 2023 Spike In killings and theft, he made the city one of the most severe crime in America and the crime of juveniles It is still a source of concernThe violent crime was in the capital To retreat Since last year when I reached The lowest level in 30 yearsAccording to MPD data.

George Derek Mossergov, a co -history professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and co -author of Chocolate City: History of race and democracy in the capital of the nation.

"Trump automatically displays as an explanation of the direction, thus justifying what he wants to do," He says.

Trump has repeatedly said that the federal government should control the capital, both on Campaign path Since the beginning of him Chapter Two.

This week, its calls were immediately echoed by a number of conservative personalities, including Elon Musk And MP Margori Taylor Green, R Ga, Who wrote In a post on X supports Trump in "Seizure of the city to establish law and order."

So what does it mean to define the federal capital – and Trump can do so already?

Federalism is possible, at least in theory

The capital is home not only for the federal government seat, but more than that 700,000 populationAccording to the 2024 census data. It is an overwhelming blue: Trump only won About 4 Percent of DC voting in 2016, and Less than 7 Percent in 2024.

In recent years, Trump has been an audio critic of the city, called it "Dirtyand" "Rightly runs" and "The nightmare of murder and crime."

"The city does not like it in particular and does not like the city in particular," Moscorov says. "Then she adds that he only used to demand a crisis in order to claim that his position is the only way to solve it … and DC is just this really easy goal that he will continue to return to."

But Trump cannot fulfill his threat to bring a federal to the area.

Congress passed Law of the rule of home In 1973, in the wake of the civil rights movement. The residents of the capital have given more control of their own affairs – such as the right to elect the mayor and the city council – but he maintained the supervision of Congress on things like the city budget and legislation.

To change this, Congress will need the heart of domestic rule. This may be difficult political, because Democrats in the Senate will theory to prevent such legislation. Through filibuster.

However, two Republican-Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, MP Andy Ogles, R-ENN. – foot Such bills in February. For the first time since the beginning of the internal rule, Moscorov says, both the House of Representatives and the Senate now have draft laws aimed at abolishing.

"Trump cannot do this himself," Moscorov says. "However, during the era of Republicans, Congress has proven more than willing to do so for it if he was requested. So it is within the world of possibility."

But Musgrove also wonders about Trump’s really desire to assign the federal government to Minutiae from City governanceLike trash and filling pits, especially as it can exercise power on the local government in other ways.

The federal government has already has a lot of power in the capital

Home The president gives control On the National Guard, the capital, allowing it to contact it to the city without local approval. It also allows the president Use The Capital Police Force for up to 30 days if it is "The presence of special conditions for the nature of the emergency that requires the use of the capital police for federal purposes is determined" – Although he needs to obtain congressional approval to use the police force services for more than 48 hours, according to the city rod.

During his first term, Trump thought of the capital’s position "More control" by "to withdraw" Thousands of capital police officers to suppress the local Black life protests In 2020, indicating that the federal government will obtain it "Total domination" Above the city, According to the CNN version A call made with the conservatives at the time. In the end, he deployed the US Park Police and the National Guard.

Trump has also used his powers to influence local priorities. Earlier this year issued an executive order created "A safe and beautiful work group in the capitaland" Their goals include the intensification of the application of the Federal Immigration Law, the restoration of federal general effects and the removal of writing on the walls.

Only this week, the National Park Service service was killed by this as part of its justification for the plans Reinstalization of a Confederate Statue The demonstrators overthrew the year 2020.

On a wider scale, Moscow says that the home rule – specifically, the Trump threat to push Congress to cancel it – gives Trump the lever of financial negotiations with the mayor of DC, Morel Boser.

"All he has to do is a threat, and the mayor gets a hint," Moscorov says.

While Bowser has long been Varly loud From Trump, I also complied With some demands in recent months, such as Cleanliness of the homeless camps And removal a "Black life movement is important" Wall in the streets Near the White House, after facing pressure from management and Congress.

"The mural inspired millions of people and our city has helped during a very painful period, but now we cannot turn into a meaningless congressional intervention," Buser He said in March’s statementAfter the Republican legislator presented a draft law that puts federal funding at risk if the capital does not remove it.

This is an example of how Congress formed DC policies. Federal legislators can also attach non -relevant rules – called "Bodies" – About the independence of the capital into federal credits. They can decide to cancel the laws approved by the Capital Council, as did the Senate in 2023 when it voted on it Comprehensive reform From the criminal law in the city. Moscorov says.

"(Legionships) realized that this could be a really good policy for people in the home Money on abortion Or a Needleand" Moscorov says. "It makes it difficult for DC to create laws, create politics, and implement them over time for the benefit of the population."

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