Explainer

Trump Wants Control Over Washington DC. What Are His Powers?

Members of the National Guard march toward the US Capitol in Washington on Jan. 22, 2021.Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg

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By Chris Strohm

August 8, 2025 at 9:13 PM UTC

Updated on

August 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM UTC

President Donald Trump is threatening to have the federal government take over Washington, DC. On Aug. 11, he announced that he would take control of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department and deploy the National Guard to crack down on crime and homelessness.

Trump has said he wants to go further and “federalize” the city. However, his powers to take such an action are limited. He’d need an act of Congress to have complete control.