D.C. attorney general sues Trump admin over ‘hostile federal takeover’ of police

Brian Schwalb, the attorney general for the District of Columbia, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington on Friday morning challenging the Trump administration’s unprecedented takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department. The lawsuit challenges Trump’s Monday order as well as Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Thursday order claiming federal control of the D.C. police force. Schwalb’s office argued that the orders exceed the limits on requesting services from D.C., which it says can only be done on a temporary basis under emergency circumstances.

“By declaring a hostile takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its limited, temporary authority under the Home Rule Act, infringing on the District’s right to self-governance and putting the safety of DC residents and visitors at risk,” Schwalb, a Democrat, said in a statement. “The Administration’s unlawful actions are an affront to the dignity and autonomy of the 700,000 Americans who call DC home. This is the gravest threat to Home Rule that the District has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it.”

On Thursday, Bondi announced that DEA Administrator Terry Cole would be the “emergency police commissioner” of MPD for the duration of Trump’s takeover, superseding Police Chief Pamela Smith.

The suit said that implementing Bondi’s order would “upend the entire command structure of MPD and sow chaos among the more than 3,100 officers serving the District, endangering the safety of the public and law enforcement officers alike.”

Bondi’s order mentioned that Cole would “assume all the powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police” which means that the existing D.C. police leadership will have to take approval from Cole before issuing any directive for the department.

‘Bondi order is unlawful,’ Schwalb’s office writes to Smith

Schwalb’s office said Trump only had authority to request services for “federal purposes,” and that Congress didn’t grant the authority to replace D.C.’s police chief.

He sent a letter to Smith on Thursday night saying, “It is my opinion the Bondi order is unlawful, and that you are not legally obligated to follow it.”

In his order on Monday, Trump cited several high-profile violent acts to justify his decision to deploy National Guard troops into the capital and take control of the D.C. police.

Bowser contested Trump’s claims of out-of-control crime

Bowser contested Trump’s claims of out-of-control crime in Washington, saying statistics show it’s substantially dropped. According to federal data released in January, violent crime in the district for 2024 was at its lowest level in more than three decades and down 35% from the previous year.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Trump’s order the “first step in stopping the violent crime that has been plaguing the streets of Washington, DC.”

Under the Home Rule Act, Trump has the power to federalize the D.C. police for only 30 days unless Congress approves an extension. He said on Wednesday that he plans to ask Congress for a long-term extension, but for that he would need support from some Democrats.