What makes Washington, D.C. unique — and how Trump took control of its police

Imagine waking up in the nation’s capital to find the President has just taken command of your city’s police force, deploying 800 National Guard troops to patrol your streets. This unfolded in Washington, D.C., when President Donald Trump declared a public safety emergency, dubbing the day “Liberation Day.”Trump said he was rescuing the capital from “crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor,” pledging to restore Washington to the “gleaming capital everybody wants it to be.” Yet, this declaration contrasts with police data showing that violent crime in D.C. has dropped sharply this year, reaching its lowest level in 30 years.

So, how can the president override local authorities and introduce federal troops into the city?

The answer lies in Washington, D.C.’s unique status.
Unlike any other major U.S. city, Washington, D.C. is not a state. It is a federal district established by the U.S. Constitution in 1790. The founding fathers deliberately created the capital as an independent district to prevent any single state from holding undue influence over the national government.The land was carved from Maryland and Virginia, though the Virginia portion was later returned. This arrangement places Washington, D.C. under the direct control of Congress rather than a state government.

Today, roughly 700,000 people live in D.C. They pay federal taxes, serve on juries, and enlist in the military like residents of the 50 states. However, unlike those states, D.C. residents do not have a voting representative in Congress. They elect their own mayor and city council for local governance, but Congress retains final authority over the city’s budget and can overturn its laws. This has long fuelled the grievance of “taxation without representation.”

In 1973, Congress passed the Home Rule Act, granting the city limited self-governance. While it allowed residents to elect their leaders, Congress—and by extension, the president—retained supreme authority. This includes the ability to assume control of D.C.’s police force in an emergency, the power Trump invoked to justify the National Guard deployment and federalisation of local law enforcement.

For many residents, this underscores a persistent frustration: Washington, D.C., with its vibrant neighbourhoods, schools, and businesses, remains subject to federal oversight that limits its autonomy. Many consider this a civil rights issue and continue to campaign for statehood to secure full representation and control over their affairs.

Trump’s move has brought this long-standing debate into sharper focus. Whether one supports or opposes the action, it is a stark reminder that Washington, D.C. is unlike any other city — where local authority and national power meet in ways that make such presidential intervention possible.