The deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C., by the Trump administration signals another controversial and, ultimately, unjustified action. While framed as a necessary measure to combat a “public safety emergency, and help reestablish law and order,” it has no justification in fact or law.
Trump explained that the action is a response to an “out-of-control” crime wave, referencing a violent incident involving a 19-year-old former government staffer who was assaulted in a carjacking attempt. However, official crime statistics tell a very different story. Data show that violent crime in D.C. is at a 30-year low, including a 35% drop from 2023 to 2024, according to Justice Department figures.
The assault referenced, while tragic, appears isolated amid broad declines in crime. The deployment is being met with strong opposition from local and national leaders. This use of a military reserve force for domestic law enforcement, without clear justification, not only undermines municipal authority but also sets a dangerous precedent for the use of federal power in what should be a matter of local governance.
As of this time, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has taken control of the District’s police force that will now number 5,400, including 3,400 Metro police officers 1,800 Capitol police officers and 200 National Guard troops. In general, federal control of National Guard troops is restricted by the Posse Comitatus Act of 1871, prohibiting the use of federal military for domestic law enforcement unless authorized by the Constitution or an act of Congress.
By manufacturing a crisis, the administration appeared to be using a rare presidential authority under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act not to address a genuine threat, but to assert political control over a city with a predominantly Democratic population. This action makes the deployment seem less about public safety and more about a political spectacle, designed to play to a national audience while ignoring the facts on the ground.
The profound disconnect between fantasy and reality has always been a cornerstone of this and the last Trump administration. The disdain for cities run by people of color and blue states roil this White House and adds fuel to his MAGA base to follow their misguided understanding of life in the United States. In fact, the president is planning more infiltrations by our military into other cities. “We’re going to take back our capital … and then we’ll look at other cities also,” he said, pinpointing Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Oakland and Los Angeles.
Indeed, the National Guard has already been sent to Los Angeles this year at the cost of $134 million. Descending on MacArthur Park during a children’s summer camp, they spread fear and chaos in an area with a large immigrant population. The cruelty is the point. The Black and brown communities present a clear and present danger to the future of the administration’s vision of the United States.
On its face this is an authoritarian power grab by someone who is supposed to be an elected executive. But there are a lot more events happening to spur this kind of action outside of the Project 2025 playbook. Trump’s reputation is hemorrhaging on a variety of fronts, most notably with the Jefferey Epstein sex abuse scandal. The never-ending spectacle has risen to a level of incredulity that we have not seen in this country before. Bondi first had the Epstein files on her desk, explaining that more documents were imminent; then we were told that there were no more coming; then spokesman Steven Cheung said the Wall Street Journal stories about the files/lists were “fake news.”
During this same series of developments, convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s partner in crime, met with a Justice Department official and in an unprecedented move was transferred to a minimum-security prison in Texas, further angering the populace. If there was ever a moment to manufacture a distraction in the form of the takeover of D.C.’s police, this is it.
Second, the economy is now slowing after Department of Labor statistics pointed out that only 75,000 jobs were created in May, and the job gains in the previous two months were revised downward by a combined 75,000. Inflation has hit a five-month high and the full extent of the consequences of the numerous tariffs, have yet to be realized.
This provides a blueprint for future actions of this type coming to a city near you. This deployment represents a significant and potentially dangerous overreach of federal power. Washington, D.C.’s unique status as a federal district gives the president certain authorities not present in the 50 states, including direct command over the D.C. National Guard.
While this authority is legally distinct from the federalization of a state’s National Guard, as seen in the Los Angeles case, its use in this context is still a profound intrusion on district governance. As District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said, the action was an “unnecessary and provocative overreach.”
A core principle of American federalism is that local matters should be handled by local governments. The decision to override the will of D.C.’s elected officials and deploy military forces for routine law enforcement blurs the line between civilian and military roles, which is a key concern of the Posse Comitatus Act. The lack of public safety training for military personnel also raises questions about their effectiveness and the potential for unintended escalations. This is exactly what Trump envisions, thereby giving his blessing for these law enforcement groups to act with impunity.
The 2025 deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C., is a flawed decision built on a pretext of a crime wave that does not exist.
Andre Stark
Associate Publisher, Bay State Banner
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