Trump Administration Scales Back D.C. Police Takeover After Legal Challenge

The Trump administration has agreed to partially retreat from its effort to seize direct control of Washington, D.C.’s police department following heated courtroom negotiations that highlighted the legal limits of presidential authority over the capital.

Earlier in the week, President Trump invoked Section 740 of the 1973 Home Rule Act, declaring a public safety emergency and authorizing federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Attorney General Pam Bondi then named DEA Administrator Terry Cole as “emergency police commissioner,” effectively removing Mayor Muriel Bowser and MPD Chief Pamela Smith from the chain of command.

D.C. officials quickly challenged the order in court, arguing it was unconstitutional and undermined the city’s autonomy. District Attorney General Brian Schwalb condemned it as a “hostile takeover” and described it as the most serious threat to Home Rule since its inception. He warned it could set a dangerous precedent for federal overreach into local governance.

In a packed federal courtroom, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes strongly criticized the administration’s approach, warning that the Home Rule Act does not allow the president to “commandeer” the MPD. She indicated she would issue a temporary restraining order unless the administration amended the directive, stating that Cole must work through the mayor rather than act independently.

Though the Trump administration revised the order, it did not soften its stance. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said D.C. officials are still required to comply with federal immigration enforcement. Mayor Bowser said her focus is ensuring federal officers are used strategically, while Trump defended the move as necessary to restore law and order and end the city’s “sanctuary” policies.