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What is ‘public safety emergency’ declared in Washington, DC? Trump warns ‘military action’ in war against crime
President Trump declared a public safety emergency, appointing Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Metropolitan Police Department.
President Donald Trump on Sunday declared a “public safety emergency,” confirming that Attorney General Pam Bondi will now be in charge of the Metropolitan Police Department. The announcement came despite the Justice Department's report that violent crime reached a 30-year low in 2024.
“Today, we're formally declaring a Public Safety Emergency... This is a tragic emergency... I don't like being up here talking about how unsafe and how dirty and disgusting this once beautiful Capital was,” the Republican leader said.
“It's time for dramatic action,” Trump asserted at a press conference.
According to Trump, Washington has a greater violent crime rate than some of the world's worst cities. Indeed, youth criminality and gun violence have been recurring issues in Washington, D.C. However, crime in the nation's capital is generally declining. The federal figures shows that violent assault in the city reached a 30-year low in 2024. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police Department stated that violent crime has decreased by an additional 26% this year.
“Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs and homeless people,” the President said.
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What is ‘public safety emergency’?
Trump further announced that the federal government will take control of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. He was alluding to a provision from the District of Columbia Home Rule Act that gives him the power to take over the police force in the event of “special conditions of an emergency nature.”
Trump calls DC's no-cash bail program a ‘disaster’
During his press briefing on ending crime and homelessness in DC, the POTUS blasted DC's no-cash bail program as “a disaster.”
“We’re going to change the statute and get rid of some of the other things, and we’ll count on the Republicans in Congress and Senate to vote,” Trump stated, adding, “Cashless bail, watch what we do with that.”
Moving ahead, Trump even warned that he is ready to send the military into Washington “if needed” in his war against crime and homelessness.
The move comes as the POTUS has frequently threatened a federal takeover of Washington, and his actions to use the National Guard and place the city's police department under federal authority seem to be decisive steps in that direction.
Crime in DC is ending, declares Bondi
US Attorney General Pam Bondi asserted that she wants to be “crystal clear” that “crime in DC is ending and it's ending today”.
Stressing that she will utilise “every power we have to fight criminals”, Bondi named some of the officers who will be take in-charge of law enforcement in the DC, including “great” FBI director Kash Patel and “our secret weapon” Jeanine Pirro, the newly confirmed DC AG and former Fox News host.
