Trump stokes congressional showdown over DC crime

Published August 14, 2025 2:27pm ET



Congress is preparing for a pitched fight over Washington, D.C., crime as President Donald Trump pursues a federal takeover of the district.

When lawmakers return in September, they could have on their hands a pair of requests to expand Trump’s federal crackdown on carjackings and other acts of violence in the District of Columbia. The most pressing issue is whether he can keep the Metropolitan Police Department under his control for longer than 30 days, the statutory limit for powers he invoked unilaterally earlier this week.

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