President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to declare a national emergency to maintain federal control over Washington, DC’s police force, escalating a legal battle with the city over his administration’s unprecedented takeover of local law enforcement.

On August 11, Trump asserted federal control over the DC Metropolitan Police Department by invoking Section 740 of the DC Home Rule Act, which allows presidential control of local police during “special conditions of an emergency nature.” Notably, the president’s authority under Section 740 is limited to 30 days in the absence of a joint Congressional resolution permitting an extension.

On August 15, DC filed a federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s emergency order, arguing the Trump administration exceeded its legal authority and violated constitutional principles of local self-governance.

Later that month, on August 27, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a press conference that while she believed the increased law enforcement presence had helped reduce certain types of crime, she also felt the federal takeover had resulted in a breakdown in trust between police and the community. “We know having masked ICE agents in the community has not worked and National Guard from other states has not been an efficient use of those resources,” she said.

Despite her public criticism of ICE tactics, Bowser has been relatively cooperative with the Trump administration compared to other Democratic mayors. The 30-day federal control period stipulated by Section 740 expired last week, but in early September, she issued an executive order establishing indefinite coordination between the city and most federal law enforcement agencies, though notably excluding ICE from the arrangement.

In his statement Monday, apparently triggered by Bowser’s exclusion of ICE from the order, Trump accused the mayor of refusing to cooperate with immigration enforcement. He claimed his intervention has transformed DC from “one of the most dangerous and murder ridden cities in the [country], and even around the World, to one of the safest,” and warned that ending federal control would cause crime to “come roaring back.” He added, sic: “I’ll call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!! Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”

Trump’s claims about rising crime contradict DC statistics showing violent crime fell 35% in 2024 and has continued declining in 2025.