Authorities arrested 23 people within the first day of federalization in Washington D.C., FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X Tuesday.
Patel said the arrests were the results of warrants, including a warrant for murder and DUI. Earlier on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the charges included homicide, drunk driving, gun and drug crimes and subway fare evasion.
Why It Matters
About 800 National Guard troops arrived in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday after President Donald Trump said they were needed to curb crime in the “lawless” nation’s capital. The Trump administration said National Guard troops will be deployed on streets in the nation’s capital on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, a judge in California is weighing whether Trump’s recent move to federalize Guard personnel in Los Angeles during protests over immigration raids violated federal law.
The deployments come amid a broader militarization push, with Trump establishing fortified zones along the U.S.-Mexico border in a sweeping policy shift that has drawn the Army deeper into immigration enforcement than ever before.
Associated Press
What To Know
Trump’s move activates the Guard members and temporarily place the District’s police department under federal control — a step permitted by law on a short-term basis. He cited a “crime emergency” as justification, though city officials note the offenses he referenced are already declining significantly.
Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser said Tuesday she would cooperate with the federal officials Trump assigned to oversee the city’s law enforcement, but emphasized that the police chief remained in command of the department and its officers.
The tone marked a departure from the previous day, when Bowser criticized Trump’s plan to seize control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deploy the National Guard as “not a productive step,” arguing his declared state of emergency was out of step with the city’s falling crime rates. Still, she acknowledged that federal law grants Washington, D.C., less autonomy than U.S. states, limiting her administration’s ability to resist.
Attorney General Pam Bondi later posted on social media that the meeting with federal officials had been “productive.”
Over the past five months, the U.S. Park Police have cleared 70 homeless encampments, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday. Former residents were given the option to leave voluntarily, move into a shelter, or enter drug treatment programs. Those who refuse assistance could face fines or possible jail time.
What People Are Saying
Patel posted on X, “On the first big push of FBI supporting @POTUS @realDonaldTrump initiative to make DC safe again, FBI reported 10 arrests with partners.”
“These include: -One arrest on a search warrant for a prior murder charge -Multiple unlawful possession of firearms -Multiple outstanding warrants for DUI -One arrest for violation of restraining order,” the director posted.
“These are just a few examples — we are just getting started. Federal partners joined local police and arrested 23 in total,” Patel said, adding, “When you let good cops be cops they can clean up our streets and do it fast. More to come. Your nation’s Capital WILL be safe again.”
Bowser said Tuesday, “How we got here or what we think about the circumstances — right now we have more police, and we want to make sure we use them,” she told reporters.”
According to the Washington Post, Bowser was asked on X where she expects the National Guard: “My expectation, though it can change, is that they will deploy the guard on federal properties — that includes parks, monuments, federal buildings. My expectation for the higher [crime] areas that you mentioned would be for where the federal surge [law enforcement] officers would go.”
What Happens Next
Under current law, Trump can take over the D.C. police force for up to 30 days. Leavitt said the arrangement could be extended if authorities “reevaluate and reassess,” but any extension beyond that period would require congressional approval — a prospect likely to face strong Democratic opposition.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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