United States: Donald Trump Orders Deployment of National Guard in Washington
Donald Trump declared a state of emergency in Washington on Monday, August 11, handing federal control over law enforcement and mobilizing the National Guard. This decision comes at a time when official data shows violent crime at its lowest in over thirty years in the US capital.
SUMMARY
In a press conference, the American president announced that federal authorities would directly take over security in Washington. He justified this measure by a “total and complete anarchy” situation and the presence of “violent gangs”. He ordered the immediate deployment of 800 National Guard troops with the possibility of sending more, as well as reinforcements from the FBI and other federal forces.
The initiative is accompanied by a firm message addressed to the homeless and criminals. On his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump demanded that the homeless leave the capital “immediately”. He promised to rehouse them “far from the city”. “We will put you in jail, where you should be”; he declared.
However, the Biden administration’s Justice Department indicated in January that violent crime in Washington had reached its lowest level in more than three decades by 2024. The Housing Department ranked the city 15th among U.S. metropolises with the highest number of homeless people, with around 5,600 people counted.
A tense security policy
This recourse to federal control is made possible by Washington’s unique status, which does not belong to any state and remains subject to Congress’s jurisdiction. Since his return to the White House, Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to take over security in the capital, even supporting a bill aimed at reducing the city’s autonomy.
The Democratic mayor Muriel Bowser rejects these insecurity allegations and denounces an unjustified federal interference. “Statistics show trends in the right direction for every category,” she declared, describing comparisons with war-torn countries as “exaggerated and incorrect”. Dozens of protesters gathered in front of the White House on Monday to express their opposition.
Last June, Donald Trump had already ordered the deployment of the National Guard in California, against the advice of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, following protests against immigrant arrests. This precedent illustrates the president’s willingness to use federal forces to impose his vision of public order.
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