President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy National Guard troops to Washington D.C. as part of a sweeping federal crackdown on crime in the capital despite the District recently posting its lowest crime numbers in 30 years. The move includes taking direct control of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department under emergency powers granted by the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.
Attorney General Pam Bondi will oversee the police department, with newly appointed DEA Administrator Terry Cole serving as interim federal commissioner. The administration also plans to reassign about 120 FBI agents to nighttime patrols in the city—marking another largely unprecedented move.
Trump said the measures come in response to crime levels he described as unacceptable, though recent city data showed violent crime at a 30-year low. His decision follows the assault of a 19-year-old staff member from the Department of Government Efficiency during an attempted carjacking earlier this month.
The District’s National Guard, which falls under federal authority rather than a governor’s control, will begin arriving over the next week, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Trump said he is prepared to send additional military forces “if needed.”
Could New Jersey Be Next?
While there are no intended plans to deploy troops into the Garden State, the Trump administration made it clear after the LA deployment in June that other U.S. cities and states—particularly Democratic-controlled ones—could be next.
National Guard deployment typically falls under Governor’s authority and is not subject to federal control, so it would require cooperation from Governor Murphy to be authorized. There have been no stated plans by the Trump administration beyond that.
Trump’s actions in D.C. mark one of the most assertive uses of federal authority over a local police force in decades. Many warn it could set the stage for clashes with city officials and residents.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.