President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of roughly 800 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., marking a rare federal takeover of the city’s law enforcement under Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act. The move, framed by Trump as a necessary step to combat what he calls “out of control” crime, allows the federal government to assume temporary control over the Metropolitan Police Department for up to 30 days. While supporters, including the D.C. Police Union, say the added manpower could provide critical short-term support, city leaders such as Mayor Muriel Bowser have condemned the action as an authoritarian overreach—especially as recent data shows violent crime rates at historic lows. The decision has also reignited debates over D.C. statehood and the balance of power between local and federal authorities.