Topline
President Donald Trump said he will join federal troops patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., on Thursday night amid his administration’s takeover of the city’s police force and deployment of federal law enforcement.
Members of the South Carolina National Guard patrol outside of Union Station on August 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Trump told conservative radio host Todd Starnes on Thursday he is “going to be going out tonight, I think, with the police, and with the military, of course.”
The White House confirmed the plans to multiple outlets, but the details of Trump’s outing are unclear.
Trump’s appearance follows Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House adviser Stephen Miller’s visit with National Guard troops at Union Station in Washington on Wednesday, where they were greeted by protesters.
The city’s residents broadly oppose Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops and his takeover of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department, according to a Washington Post/Schar School survey that found 79% either somewhat or strongly oppose the effort, while 17% support it, though Trump was already unpopular in the city, winning just 6% of the vote in 2024.
Key Background
Trump announced on Aug. 11 he would exercise his authority under the Home Rule Act to take control of the Metropolitan Police Department, which allows the federal government to take over local police in “special conditions of an emergency nature.” The agreement expires in 30 days unless Congress approves an extension. Trump cited a surge in crime in announcing the takeover, despite crime reaching a 30-year low last year, according to the Justice Department, numbers the Trump administration has disputed and asked the Justice Department to investigate. In addition to taking control of the MPD, Trump deployed the D.C. National Guard, while several other Republican-led states also sent guard members to D.C.
Tangent
Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued the Trump administration last week after Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order to install Drug Enforcement Administration head Terry Cole as an “emergency commissioner” at the MPD, directing the department to “receive approval from Commissioner Cole” before issuing any orders. A federal judge granted Washington a temporary restraining order to block Bondi’s directive, ruling it likely violated federal law. Bondi subsequently issued a revised order that removed the language to fully replace the existing MPD commissioner with Cole in place of a list of police functions she wants Cole to oversee.
Further Reading
Trump Says Federal Government Will Take Control Of Washington, D.C., Police Department (Forbes)
DC Sues Trump For Police Takeover (Forbes)
Will Trump’s DC Takeover Happen In Other Cities? Here’s What He Legally Can—And Can’t—Do (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/08/21/trump-says-hes-going-out-in-dc-tonight-to-join-military-patrols/
