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In an unprecedented recent escalation of federal power, President Donald Trump ordered, on August 11, 2025, the mobilization of 800 National Guard soldiers and around 500 federal agents to Washington DC, under the justification of containing an alleged “wave of crime and misery.” The measure establishes a state of emergency for 30 days.
Despite the dramatic statements, official statistics show that violent crime in the U.S. capital has reached its lowest level in three decades, with a 9% drop compared to the previous year and a significant reduction in robbery cases.
Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser described the initiative as a clear authoritarian move that undermines local autonomy. Initially, she signaled her willingness to cooperate under joint responsibility between local police and federal agents. However, after a night marked by criticism and political pressure, she hardened her stance, calling on residents to defend the city’s self-governance and urging the Democratic-majority House of Representatives to act as a barrier to what she called an “authoritarian impulse.”
Since August 12, National Guard troops have begun occupying strategic points in central and tourist areas of the city, with armored vehicles visible on the streets. In a nighttime operation, around 850 federal agents reinforced the police presence, resulting in 23 arrests for crimes such as homicide, illegal possession of firearms, drug trafficking, and fare evasion. Six firearms were also seized in actions that the federal government described as a “city cleanup.”
The intervention has faced strong opposition from Democratic leaders, human rights organizations, and legal experts, who see the measure as a violation of the self-governance model established in 1973 by the Home Rule Act, which limits federal power over the District of Columbia.
Political analysts warn that Washington may be serving as a test ground for applying similar tactics in other cities governed by Democratic mayors, raising concerns about the future of local autonomy and the balance of power in the United States.
For Libia López - Jornalist in Brazil INEWSR
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