Trump's announcement of a criminal emergency in Washington, DC

President Donald Trump’s declaration of a crime emergency in Washington, DC, and his decision to federalize the city’s police force have left numerous local and federal agencies uncertain about its implications, according to multiple sources. Before his announcement on Monday, neither DC Mayor Muriel Bowser nor Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith had been informed about the takeover or its implementation process. In a statement, the Defense Department confirmed that 800 DC National Guard troops have been activated, with up to 200 members assigned to assist law enforcement. Trump justified the deployment of troops on US soil by citing rising crime rates. “Our capital city has been overrun by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of unruly youth, drugged-out maniacs, and homeless individuals,” he stated. However, statistics show that violent crime in DC has actually declined in recent years.