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By Gabe Whisnant
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The nation's capital filed a lawsuit Friday to block President Donald Trump's takeover of its police department, just hours after his administration escalated its intervention by appointing a federal official as the department's emergency head.
District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb sought an emergency restraining order in federal court, arguing that placing a federal appointee in charge of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is unlawful and threatens to "wreak operational havoc."
Trump Administration, D.C. Reach Agreement
The two sides sparred in court for hours Friday before U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, who is overseeing the lawsuit. She indicated the law likely doesn't grant the Trump administration power to fully take over city police, but it probably does give the president more power than the city might like.
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At the close of Friday's hearing, Justice Department attorney Yaakov Roth said the administration would agree to revise a key part of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's order that named DEA chief Terry Cole as D.C. police commissioner.
Local leaders warned that stripping Police Chief Pamela A. Smith — appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser — of her duties would violate D.C. home rule.
What To Know
In a statement in the court filing, Metro PD Chief Pamela Smith said the Trump administration move was a "dangerous" threat to law and order.
Smith said the Trump administration's order installing a federal official as "emergency police chief," if allowed to stand, would upend command structure.
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Schwalb contends the directive exceeds Trump's legal authority and would "sow chaos" within MPD. "The administration's unlawful actions are an affront to the dignity and autonomy of the 700,000 Americans who call D.C. home. This is the gravest threat to Home Rule that the District has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it," he said.
White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson told Newsmax on Thursday, according to Marisela Ramirez, a producer for the network, on X, "The Trump Administration has the lawful authority to assert control over the D.C. Police, which is necessary due to the emergency that has arisen in our Nation's Capital as a result of failed leadership. The Democrats' efforts to stifle this tremendous progress are par for the course for the Defund the Police, Criminals-First Democrat Party."
When reached by Newsweek via email on Friday, a DOJ spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Trump's police takeover is the latest in a series of moves testing the boundaries of presidential power. He has relied on obscure laws and a declared state of emergency to bolster his tough-on-crime rhetoric and advance plans for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. The action marks one of the most sweeping federal assertions over a local government in modern U.S. history.
While Washington has experienced spikes in crime and homelessness, its homicide rate remains lower than several other major U.S. cities, contradicting the administration's portrayal of a public safety collapse.
On Thursday, Schwalb warned that Bondi's directive was "unlawful" and instructed MPD officers to follow orders only from Chief Smith or other mayor-appointed officials. The city's attorney general is independently elected and serves as its top legal officer — separate from the federally appointed U.S. attorney for D.C., a role currently held by former Fox News host and judge Jeanine Pirro. Trump also appointed Bondi as U.S. attorney general.
Bondi's order came after Smith told MPD officers to share certain information with immigration authorities only regarding non-custodial individuals, such as during traffic stops. The Justice Department criticized Smith's stance, saying it preserved "sanctuary policies." Bondi rescinded that policy and others that limited immigration inquiries or barred arrests based solely on federal warrants, requiring all new directives to receive Cole's approval.
Mayor Muriel Bowser pushed back Thursday, writing on social media, "there is no statute that conveys the District's personnel authority to a federal official."
Under the Home Rule Act of 1973, D.C. elects its own mayor and council, though the president retains more power over the city than other local governments. The law allows presidential control over the police for up to 30 days without congressional approval. Trump is the first president to invoke that power since its passage and has suggested seeking an extension. Schwalb argues the law restricts the president's role to requiring police services for federal purposes.
Residents have noticed a growing federal presence in recent days. National Guard troops are posted near landmarks, and Humvees line the streets by Union Station. Volunteers have assisted in clearing homeless encampments, though destinations for displaced residents remain unclear.
Homeland Security police stood outside Nationals Park during Thursday's baseball game, DEA agents patrolled The Wharf, and Secret Service officers were spotted in Foggy Bottom.
Bowser, balancing tensions between the Republican White House and her Democratic constituency, was out of town Thursday but returned Friday.
Trump's 30-day authority window coincides with an uptick in checkpoints and visible troop deployments. On Thursday night, officers set up a checkpoint in a busy nightlife district, prompting protests. The Pentagon said 800 National Guard members are now deployed for monument security, safety patrols, and beautification work.
What People Are Saying
Reyes, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Joe Biden, said during the hearing, "The way I read the statute, the president can ask, the mayor must provide, but the president can't control."
Chief Smith said in the court filing, "In my nearly three decades in law enforcement, I have never seen a single government action that would cause a greater threat to law and order than this dangerous directive."
What Happens Next
According to the Washington Post, the court left unresolved a central question in the case — whether Trump can direct D.C. police officers to enforce immigration laws. Judge Reyes said that issue will likely be decided next week.
Update: 8/15/25, 12:45 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Update: 8/15/25, 5:36 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Update: 8/15/25, 6:15 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Update: 8/15/25, 6:37 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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