• Mayor Muriel Bowser responds to Trump's plans for police takeover and National Guard activation.
• Trump claims D.C. is overtaken by crime, while Bowser underscores a 30-year crime low.
• D.C. leaders express concerns over federal control infringing local autonomy.

Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C. has publicly defended the city’s local control over its police department amid President Trump’s announcement to take federal control of policing in the District. During a news briefing, Bowser described Trump's actions as "unsettling and unprecedented," emphasizing that D.C.'s violent crime rate is actually at a 30-year low. She expressed concern over the impact of Trump's rhetoric, calling it a misrepresentation of the city’s safety situation, and noted that crime has fallen significantly, with a 26% decrease this year compared to last, according to NPR and The Hill.

In a striking statement, Trump highlighted a perceived crime surge in D.C., describing the city as overrun by "violent gangs" and "homeless people," which Bowser disputed by underscoring the city’s effective crime reduction strategies. She stated, "It is also true that we experienced a crime spike post-COVID… but we worked quickly to put laws in place" that addressed public safety. Bowser's comments were made as she noted Trump's federal intervention, while not surprising given past rhetoric, could negatively impact community relations with law enforcement, according to The Hill, The Hill, and HuffPost.

Bowser further articulated her commitment to continuing communication with federal authorities, despite her reservations regarding Trump's approach. She conveyed this during a press conference where she delineated local law enforcement's role: "Chief Pamela Smith is the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department and its 3,100 members work under her direction." Concurrently, concerns emerged from D.C. leaders regarding the potential for federal overreach, as they criticized Trump's portrayal of a "crime emergency" that does not align with current statistics, according to NPR and HuffPost.

Some local officials voiced stronger criticisms of Trump's actions, describing them as a historical attack on D.C.'s autonomy and home rule. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton labeled the intervention an "historic assault" that D.C. residents largely oppose. Others echoed Bowser's concerns, noting that it's essential for communities to trust their police and feel comfortable reporting crimes, which could be jeopardized by federal militarization. Bowser stated, "What could be a disaster is if we lose communities who won't call the police," according to The Hill and HuffPost.