US President Donald Trump on Monday (August 11) declared a public safety emergency in Washington, DC, as he invoked the Home Rule Act, deploying National Guard troops in the United States' capital. He stressed that if needed, military intervention will be considered. Trump, during a major press conference on Monday, announced that the Washington, DC police department will be replaced under federal control and deployed the National Guard troops over there.&nbsp;The US president confirmed that Attorney General Pam Bondi will now oversee the Metropolitan Police Department. This comes despite the violent crime hitting a 30-year low in 2024, as per the US Justice Department.&nbsp;He said that, at the beginning, the administration will deploy 800 National guardsmen to support law enforcement, adding that they will add many more "if necessary".&nbsp;"Trump signed an Executive Order declaring a crime emergency in the District of Columbia to protect public servants, citizens, and tourists, and ensure the safe functioning of the Federal government," the White House said in a statement.&nbsp;"The Order invokes the President’s authority under the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act to require the Mayor to make the services of the Metropolitan Police Department available to the President," it added.&nbsp;Moreover, according to the order, Pam Bondi will recommend further actions or the termination of the emergency measures as circumstances warrant.&nbsp;Trump stressed that the capital city has been overtaken by "violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs, and homeless people", adding that they will let it happen any more.&nbsp;He announced the "historic action" to "take the capital back". Trump invoked section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which places the DC Metropolitan police department under direct federal control.<h2>'Get rid of slums'</h2>Trump further vowed to "get rid of slums" in Washington, DC, saying that he knows it is not politically correct, but he will do so.&nbsp;"We have slums here. We’re getting rid of them. I know it’s not politically correct. You’ll say, ‘Oh, so terrible, '" he said.Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that this morning, they have mobilised the DC National Guard, adding, "You will see them flowing into the streets of Washington in the coming week.”&nbsp;While Kash Patel, the FBI Director, added, “We’re going to clean up Washington, DC. We’re going to do it the right way, the lawful way. We’ll make sure Washington, DC, is safe again.”&nbsp;This comes after a vicious attack on an employee of Trump's DOGE department, Edward Coristine, last weekend. He shared an image of a bloodied Coristine, after a group of teenagers severely beat him.&nbsp;Trump, in a post on Truth Social today, wrote that crime and filth will disappear and he will make the capital great again. He added that the days of ruthless killing or hurting innocent people are over now.&nbsp;"Washington, D.C. will be LIBERATED today! Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum will DISAPPEAR. I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN! The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people are OVER! I quickly fixed the Border (ZERO ILLEGALS in last 3 months!), D.C. is next!!!," Trump wrote.&nbsp;

Trump stressed that the capital city has been overtaken by "violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs, and homeless people", adding that they will let it happen any more.

US President Donald Trump on Monday (August 11) declared a public safety emergency in Washington, DC, as he invoked the Home Rule Act, deploying National Guard troops in the United States' capital. He stressed that if needed, military intervention will be considered. Trump, during a major press conference on Monday, announced that the Washington, DC police department will be replaced under federal control and deployed the National Guard troops over there. The US president confirmed that Attorney General Pam Bondi will now oversee the Metropolitan Police Department. This comes despite the violent crime hitting a 30-year low in 2024, as per the US Justice Department. He said that, at the beginning, the administration will deploy 800 National guardsmen to support law enforcement, adding that they will add many more "if necessary". "Trump signed an Executive Order declaring a crime emergency in the District of Columbia to protect public servants, citizens, and tourists, and ensure the safe functioning of the Federal government," the White House said in a statement. "The Order invokes the President’s authority under the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act to require the Mayor to make the services of the Metropolitan Police Department available to the President," it added. Moreover, according to the order, Pam Bondi will recommend further actions or the termination of the emergency measures as circumstances warrant. Trump stressed that the capital city has been overtaken by "violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs, and homeless people", adding that they will let it happen any more. He announced the "historic action" to "take the capital back". Trump invoked section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which places the DC Metropolitan police department under direct federal control. 'Get rid of slums' Trump further vowed to "get rid of slums" in Washington, DC, saying that he knows it is not politically correct, but he will do so. "We have slums here. We’re getting rid of them. I know it’s not politically correct. You’ll say, ‘Oh, so terrible, '" he said. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that this morning, they have mobilised the DC National Guard, adding, "You will see them flowing into the streets of Washington in the coming week.” While Kash Patel, the FBI Director, added, “We’re going to clean up Washington, DC. We’re going to do it the right way, the lawful way. We’ll make sure Washington, DC, is safe again.” This comes after a vicious attack on an employee of Trump's DOGE department, Edward Coristine, last weekend. He shared an image of a bloodied Coristine, after a group of teenagers severely beat him. Trump, in a post on Truth Social today, wrote that crime and filth will disappear and he will make the capital great again. He added that the days of ruthless killing or hurting innocent people are over now. "Washington, D.C. will be LIBERATED today! Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum will DISAPPEAR. I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN! The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people are OVER! I quickly fixed the Border (ZERO ILLEGALS in last 3 months!), D.C. is next!!!," Trump wrote.

Trump stressed that the capital city has been overtaken by "violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs, and homeless people", adding that they will let it happen any more.

Trump declares 'public safety emergency' in US capital, orders Pam Bondi to oversee Washington DC police department

US President Donald Trump during a press conference on Monday (August 11) announced that he was deploying National Guard troops and putting the Washington police force under federal control to tackle crime in the US capital. "This is Liberation Day in DC, and we're going to take our capital back," Trump said. Section 740 gives the President of the United States the authority to commandeer the DC Police Department in “conditions of an emergency nature.”&nbsp;<h2>See the video here:</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump announces he is invoking the D.C. Home Rule Act to place the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and deploy the National Guard. &quot;This is Liberation Day in D.C. — and we&#39;re going to take our capital BACK.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DonaldTrump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://t.co/jZgWNtYU7C">pic.twitter.com/jZgWNtYU7C</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1954917169625735242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>What is Home Rule Act?</h2>Home Rule is a system of government that allows local governments to control their affairs without needing the approval or permission of the state government. The authority is typically extended in each state's constitution. The extent of the authority is different in every state. Some states give overall home rule authority, and others use Dillon's Rule, a principle of municipal law that restricts the powers of local governments to those specifically extended by the state.&nbsp;A home rule charter is a municipal legal document utilised to establish the organisation, powers, functions, and procedures of local governments. A municipality that is operating under such a charter is referred to as a home rule municipality. Those governed by state law are general law cities.&nbsp;Home rule statutes authorise municipalities to enact home rule charters, which give them substantial independence in local affairs. Dillon's Rule statutes confine the powers of local governments to those specifically authorized by the state legislature. Some states use both principles in combination.<h2>Limitations and challenges of Home Rule</h2>Along with state constraints on local governments, numerous local governments are beset with fiscal and managerial problems. Few revenue-raising options may compel a local government to rely on extra funding from the state, and the state will usually have requirements that the local government needs to adhere to in order to qualify for funding.&nbsp;A challenge can be initiated if a local municipality passes legislation contrary to the state or federal legislation. State law preempts and even voids local ordinances. A local municipality, for instance, cannot enact conflicting legislation regarding minimum wage, environmental protection, or public health regulations. Conflicting rules can lead to a protracted court battle. If the court finds that the local law contradicts the state law, the court can then require the municipality to rescind it.&nbsp;The largest advantage of home rule is the empowerment of the local community. Members of the council belong to the local community and are in a position to understand what the local community most needs. They are able to exercise powers granted to them to implement policies that capture the local values, demographics, and economic reality. Members of the community are motivated and encouraged to take part in governance since they feel a sense of ownership and accountability.&nbsp;The home rule authority isn't infallible, however. Varying regulations throughout municipalities may cause confusion and make it more difficult to plan for regions. Political subdivisions that are situated next to one another can have greatly varying regulations. Local governments might not have the resources or experience to efficiently operate certain functions, resulting in inefficiencies.

WE ARE TAKING OUR CAPITAL BACK What is the Home Rule Act that Trump has invoked

US President Donald Trump during a press conference on Monday (August 11) announced that he was deploying National Guard troops and putting the Washington police force under federal control to tackle crime in the US capital. "This is Liberation Day in DC, and we're going to take our capital back," Trump said. Section 740 gives the President of the United States the authority to commandeer the DC Police Department in “conditions of an emergency nature.” See the video here:

In a press briefing on Monday (August 11), US President Donald Trump announced that he is invoking Home Rule Act on Washington DC

'WE ARE TAKING OUR CAPITAL BACK': What is the Home Rule Act that US president Trump has invoked

US President Donald Trump on Monday (Aug 11) announced “historic action” to “take the capital back”, invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which places the DC Metropolitan police Department under direct federal control. He added that he is deploying the National Guard to help “reestablish law and order”.&nbsp;&nbsp;The US president said that the administration will deploy 800 National Guardsmen to support local law enforcement. He added that they will add “much more if necessary”.&nbsp;“This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House.&nbsp;&nbsp;Trump said that Attorney General Pam Bondi will now oversee the Metropolitan Police Department.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump announces he is invoking the D.C. Home Rule Act to place the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and deploy the National Guard. &quot;This is Liberation Day in D.C. — and we&#39;re going to take our capital BACK.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DonaldTrump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://t.co/jZgWNtYU7C">pic.twitter.com/jZgWNtYU7C</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1954917169625735242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hour ahead of his press conference, Trump said on his Truth social that &nbsp;DC “will be LIBERATED today”.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Washington, D.C. will be LIBERATED today! Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum will DISAPPEAR. I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN! The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people, are OVER! I quickly fixed the Border (ZERO ILLEGALS in last 3 months!), D.C. is next!!! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT,” he said.

<h2>Trump highlights alarming crime rate in DC</h2>&nbsp;Showing several charts, Trump revealed that the crime rate in DC is worse than a number of cities across the world, including Baghdad, Brasília, Panama City, and Bogotá.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs, and homeless people, and we’re not going to let it happen any more.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">US President Trump cites alarming crime stats in D.C.: “The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogotá, Colombia… Car thefts have doubled in five years, and carjackings have more than tripled.” <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WashingtonDC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WashingtonDC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CrimeStats?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CrimeStats</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/POTUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#POTUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/s4p1gOZZri">pic.twitter.com/s4p1gOZZri</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1954917831746970032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Trump also declared a “public safety emergency” in the capital despite the violent crime rate hitting its lowest in 30 years in 2024, according to the Justice Department.&nbsp;He further vowed to “get rid of the slums” in the nation’s capital, saying, “We have slums here. We’re getting rid of them. I know it’s not politically correct. You’ll say, ‘oh, so terrible’”.&nbsp;Trump also vowed to get rid of homeless people across the city. &nbsp;“We’re getting rid of the people from underpasses and public spaces from all over the city,” he said. “We’re going to help them as much as you can help, but they’ll not be allowed to turn our capital into a wasteland.”&nbsp;

Trump added that he is deploying the National Guard to help “reestablish law and order”.

US President Donald Trump on Monday (Aug 11) announced “historic action” to “take the capital back”, invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which places the DC Metropolitan police Department under direct federal control. He added that he is deploying the National Guard to help “reestablish law and order”. The US president said that the administration will deploy 800 National Guardsmen to support local law enforcement. He added that they will add “much more if necessary”. “This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House. Trump said that Attorney General Pam Bondi will now oversee the Metropolitan Police Department.

Trump added that he is deploying the National Guard to help “reestablish law and order”.

‘Overtaken by bloodthirsty criminals’: Trump invokes Home Rule Act, deploys National Guard troops in Washington DC

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Trump declares 'public safety emergency' in US capital, orders Pam Bondi to oversee Washington DC police department

'WE ARE TAKING OUR CAPITAL BACK': What is Home Rule Act that Trump has invoked

Trump invokes Home Rule Act, deploys National Guard troops in Washington DC