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Political Breakdown

In an Echo of L.A., Trump Deploys National Guard to D.C.

Scott Shafer
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U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Trump announced he will use his authority to place the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control to assist in crime prevention in the nation’s capital, and that the National Guard will be deployed to DC. Also pictured (L-R) are Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump took federal control of the police force in Washington D.C. this week, deploying 800 National Guard troops. The president claims the city is plagued by violent crime despite data showing it at a 30-year low.

This comes amid the three-day trial in San Francisco over Trump’s deployment of troops to Los Angeles earlier this year in response to ICE protests.

Scott is joined first by Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School and host of the podcast “Passing Judgment” to discuss Trump’s authority to militarize the nation’s capital. Then, he’s joined by D.C. Senator Ankit Jain. 

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