President Donald Trump said Monday that he will place Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploy the National Guard, a dramatic step he said is necessary to address crime.
“Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people, and we’re not gonna let it happen anymore. We’re not gonna take it,” Trump said in a press conference at the White House.
Trump has consistently expressed dissatisfaction with the way Washington is run by local leadership, citing levels of crime and youth violence. Declaring a “crime emergency” and bringing in the National Guard is his latest step to crack down on a blue city — he hinted he could take similar steps elsewhere in the future.