On August 11, 2025, President Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department. He brought in about 800 National Guard troops and took direct control of the city’s law enforcement under a statute created for moments of crisis. His decision came after weeks of escalating violence, including a carjacking assault on a former government worker, that convinced him crime in the capital had gotten out of control.
The results were immediate. Homicides dropped sharply and violent crime slowed. The evidence was clear. When criminals realize that laws will actually be enforced, crime begins to decline. Residents saw results almost overnight. It’s funny how that works.
Democrats in Washington did not take the news well. Local leaders and their allies accused Trump of authoritarian behavior, but the truth is that Washington D.C. has always had limited autonomy, and the federal government has the authority to intervene when conditions demand it. For years, the city’s leadership has looked the other way as crime rose. Trump decided to do what they would not, which has been the hallmark of his political career since coming down the escalator in June 2015.
Instead of admitting that public safety improved, Democrats naturally complained. Some insisted that violent crime was already at historic lows, which is disputable. Others cherry-picked statistics to claim there was no emergency. Judges, police experts, and even local residents knew better. Homicides remain the most reliable indicator of how safe a city is. In 2023, Washington recorded 274 murders, the highest in twenty years. The number fell in 2024, but it was still far too high. Trump’s intervention ensured that the trend did not reverse.
Even liberal media figures quietly admitted their own concerns. MSNBC host Joe Scarborough revealed that reporters around him were privately worried about their safety in the city, even while they went on air to attack Trump for his actions. Ordinary residents had the same experience. Restaurant owners complained that customers were staying away, and families admitted they felt unsafe walking at night. But for Democrats, it’s the feelings of criminals that matter, not tax-paying citizens.
Critics complained about “militarization” and “federal overreach.” What they avoided was the fact that life for ordinary people improved. Restaurants, commuters, and neighborhoods were safer within days. The president’s move sent a message to criminals that laws still matter in America’s capital.
This is exactly the kind of leadership voters asked for last November. Trump did not hesitate, and he did not get lost in political talking points. He acted, and the results spoke for themselves. Meanwhile, Democrats were left sputtering about legal authority and abstract principles while failing to address the basic need of their citizens: security in their own neighborhoods.
D.C. Democrats are furious because Trump succeeded where they failed. He showed that federal leadership can restore order when local politicians are unwilling or unable to act. For the people who live in Washington, the message could not be clearer. When liberal governance breaks down, decisive leadership is the only solution.
So many of Trump’s greatest victories are related to simply deciding to act where his predecessors have not.
