Trump to Join Washington Patrol with Law Enforcement

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President Donald Trump announced that he plans to join police officers and members of the National Guard on patrol in Washington, D.C., as part of the ongoing federal security operation in the nation’s capital.

The announcement followed Trump’s August 11 decision to invoke Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which permits the president to direct the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to provide services for federal purposes during emergencies. The order placed MPD under temporary federal oversight. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals, ATF, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have been deployed to support the operation. National Guard troops have also been stationed at checkpoints throughout the city.

Since the start of the takeover, officials have released varying arrest totals. Bondi reported 630 arrests with 86 firearms seized, while other updates cited 465 arrests with 68 guns, and earlier figures listed 308 arrests with 53 firearms seized. Some reports referenced over 100 arrests during initial sweeps. The differences reflect data released at different times and by different agencies.

Crime statistics in Washington show a decline in violent offenses compared with previous years. According to official city data, overall crime is at a thirty-year low. Federal officials, however, said the intervention is aimed at preventing further violence and addressing what they described as emergency conditions in the city.

The takeover has faced opposition from local leaders. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit challenging the federal action, arguing that the Home Rule Act does not permit extended control of the city’s police force. Mayor Muriel Bowser also criticized the move, stating that D.C. should retain authority over its law enforcement.

Protests have taken place in the city, particularly near Union Station, where federal officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegset, have recently visited deployed personnel. Demonstrators voiced objections to the federal presence and the transfer of police authority.

Trump has not provided further details about when he will join patrols, but confirmed during a radio interview that he intends to do so alongside police officers and military personnel in the coming days.