President Donald Trump threatened to federalize D.C.’s police department again if Mayor Muriel Bowser stops officers from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. His threat comes days after the end of the 30-day federal takeover of the department.
In a post on Truth Social at about 1:05 a.m. Monday, Trump touted the success of his MPD takeover but said the safety of D.C. is now under threat.
“[…] Under pressure from the Radical Left Democrats, Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has presided over this violent criminal takeover of our Capital for years, has informed the Federal Government that the Metropolitan Police Department will no longer cooperate with ICE in removing and relocating dangerous illegal aliens.
“If I allowed this to happen, CRIME would come roaring back. To the people and businesses of Washington, D.C., DON’T WORRY, I AM WITH YOU, AND WON’T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. I’ll call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!!” he wrote.
It was unclear if Trump was threatening to federalize the entire city, as he has threatened many times. The White House had no comment when asked for clarification.
Bowser has not commented. Reporters waited to ask her questions before a scheduled event Monday. News4 video shows her being driven into a parking garage and the garage door closing.
“My mayor’s order requires the pre-surge status quo, the pre-emergency status quo, and that’s how we will proceed,” she said.
An order from MPD Chief Pamela Smith directing officers to cooperate with ICE made no mention of the crime emergency and doesn’t include an end date.
When News4 pressed Bowser for clarification, she said, “The presidential declaration compels the mayor to provide MPD services as requested by the president during the emergency for federal purposes. Immigration enforcement is such a service. Immigration enforcement is not what MPD does. And with the end of the emergency, it won’t be what MPD does in the future. That’s it.”
Last week, an MPD spokesperson declined to comment on the status of the executive order.
In Bowser’s order regarding ongoing coordination, the mayor did not list ICE among the federal law enforcement agencies MPD would coordinate with. It’s possible that’s what Trump was referring to.
What can Trump do next?
The president could declare another crime emergency. Several attorneys who News4 spoke with said D.C.’s attorney general would have a good case to challenge the emergency given Trump’s remarks about D.C. being nearly crime-free now, and because he took Congress out of the process.
It’s unclear how the mayor and police chief will handle what’s next. We’re likely to get more details on Thursday, when Bowser is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee.
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