Late Friday night, crowds filled U Street in Washington, many seeking food after visiting clubs and bars. City police patrolled quietly, but no large federal law enforcement presence was seen despite President Trump’s promise of a security lockdown starting at midnight.
A two-hour city tour around 1 a.m. Friday showed no obvious federal agents or vehicles beyond the regular Metropolitan Police Department. This lack of a federal surge may change in coming nights, as Trump plans to “take over” the city, which he has criticized as unsafe and poorly managed.
Trump announced the security operation would last seven days with the option to extend it. On Saturday, he claimed the city would soon become one of the country’s safest and scheduled a White House news conference for Monday, without providing more details.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said arrests had already been made Thursday night for possession of stolen firearms, fentanyl, and marijuana. More than 120 federal officers from agencies like the Secret Service, FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service were to be on duty Friday night, increasing federal presence.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “This is the first step in stopping the violent crime that has been plaguing the streets of Washington, D.C.”
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Mayor Muriel Bowser has not publicly responded to Trump’s declaration, nor has the Metropolitan Police Department issued statements. Bowser previously opposed Trump’s federal law enforcement response to protests in 2020.
The crackdown follows an assault last weekend on a high-ranking Department of Government Efficiency official. Two 15-year-olds were arrested, and Trump renewed calls for federal control of the city.
“If D.C. doesn’t get its act together quickly, we will take Federal control and run this City how it should be run,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He mentioned repealing Washington’s limited “home rule” autonomy and possibly deploying the National Guard.
Despite Trump’s threats, Bowser’s administration reports a drop in homicides and carjackings since 2023. Carjackings dropped from 957 in 2023 to under 500 in 2024 and are on track to decline further this year, with fewer than 200 incidents so far.
Juveniles still account for over half of carjacking arrests. To address youth disturbances, the D.C. Council passed emergency laws imposing stricter curfews on teenagers. Police Chief Pamela Smith can now create temporary juvenile curfew zones where gatherings of nine or more minors after 8 p.m. are illegal.
Trump is legally allowed to send federal law enforcement to D.C. streets. He could also call the National Guard, though the current plan does not include them. During his first term, the National Guard was used in 2020 protests and January 6, 2021.
A full federal takeover of D.C. police would require an emergency declaration likely challenged in court. Trump’s past emergency orders have often faced legal battles.
Congress would need to repeal the Home Rule Act of 1973 for Trump to control the city entirely. That law lets D.C. residents elect their own government and prevents federal takeover.
Monica Hopkins of the American Civil Liberties Union explained the Home Rule Act’s importance, saying it stopped Congress from managing everyday city matters and gave power to local leaders.
Trump’s impact is visible in National Park Service actions, which controls much of D.C.’s land. The agency has increased clearing homeless camps and arrested people smoking marijuana in parks.
A recent executive order also plans to restore Confederate statues toppled by protesters in 2020, stirring debate in the city.
As Trump presses forward, Washington waits cautiously to see if the promised federal takeover will take full effect and how it will affect the city’s safety and governance.
