DateIssued:August25,2025
Topic:
Thisexecutiveorderincreasesthenumberoffederallawenforcement officialswhoarescheduledtopolicetheDCareaandcontinues PresidentTrump’sfederaltakeoverofthenation’scapital.
TheorderalsoinstructstheSecretaryofDefensetoestablishastanding NationalGuardquickreactionforcethatcanbedeployednationwideto “ensurethepublic’ssafety,”creatingapathforfederalinterventionin otherUScities.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
ThisexecutiveorderwillbeenforcedbyseveralCabinetSecretariesand federalagencyheads.
InconjunctionwithPresidentTrump’sAugust11executiveorder implementingafederaltakeoveroftheDistrict,theorderinstructsthe DirectoroftheNationalParkService(NPS)tohireadditionalUSParkPolice officerstoservetheDCarea.
TheorderdirectstheUSAttorneyfortheDistrictofColumbiatohire additionalprosecutorswithanemphasisonprosecutingviolentand propertycrimes.
TheorderauthorizestheDCSafeandBeautifulTaskForce,establishedina March2025executiveorder,tocreateanonlineportaltorecruitcitizens withlawenforcementormilitarybackgroundstojoinfederallaw enforcemententities.
Theorderalsoempowersthelawenforcementofficialsappointedtothe taskforce,includingImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement,tocreate andbegintrainingaspecializedunitthatcouldbedeployedinDCor othercitieswhere“publicsafetyandorderhasbeenlost.”
TheordercompelstheSecretaryofDefensetodevelopanewunitofthe DCNationalGuardtoensurepublicsafetyandorderintheDistrictand instructstheAttorneyGeneral,SecretaryoftheInterior,andSecretaryof HomelandSecuritytodeputizemembersofthisunittoenforcefederal law.
TheorderalsodirectstheSecretaryofDefensetocommunicatewith state-levelArmyNationalGuardandAirNationalGuardleaderstoensure thattheunitsareequippedto“quellcivildisturbances”andassistfederal lawenforcementofficialswith“ensuringthepublicsafetyandorder wheneverthecircumstancesnecessitate.”
TheorderinstructstheSecretaryofTransportationtoconductadditional inspectionsintofederally-fundedtransitservicesinDCtodetermineif transitworkersarecurrentlybeingendangeredand,ifso,takeappropriate remedialaction.
TheorderdirectstheSecretaryofHousingandUrbanDevelopment(HUD) toinvestigatetheDCHousingAuthorityandidentifyexamplesofnoncompliancewithHUD’scrime-preventionandsafetyrequirements.Under thisorder,theSecretaryofHUDshouldrefertheirfindingsofnoncompliancetotheAttorneyGeneralandotherfederalandlocallaw enforcementauthorities.
Over40%oftheD.C.populationisBlack,andthisexecutiveorderwill exacerbateoverpolicinginBlackcommunities.A2020studyfoundthat expandingpoliceforcesincitieswiththelargestBlackpopulations disproportionatelyincreasedlow-levelarrestswithoutequivalentpublic safetybenefits.Byhiringmorefederallawenforcementofficerstopolice DC,PresidentTrumpisincreasingthelikelihoodthatDC’sBlackresidents willencounterpoliceofficersandexperiencepoliceviolence.From20182020,BlackAmericansweremorethantwiceaslikelyaswhiteAmericans toexperienceathreatornonfataluseofforceduringpoliceinteractions.In addition,in2024,25%ofindividualskilledbythepolicewereBlack. PresidentTrumphasexpressedinterestindeployingfederallaw enforcementunitsinBlack-ledandpredominantlyBlackcities,likeChicago andBaltimore,whichwillputBlackcommunitiesatriskofexcessiveforce.
PresidentTrump’sfederaltakeoverofDCanddeploymentoftheNational GuardhasalreadyincreasedBlackAmericans’harmfulinteractionswith lawenforcement.Thisorderoutlineshisintentiontoexpandtheseefforts acrossthecountrybyincreasingthereachoffederallawenforcementand installingaunitofmilitaryofficialsthatarepreparedtodeploytoUScities atamoment’snotice.TheorderwillhaveconsequencesforallAmericans butwilldisproportionatelyimpactBlackcommunities.
TheimpactofthisorderwillbeexacerbatedbyPresidentTrump’s reinstatementofcashbailpolicies.Underthecashbailsystem,individuals accusedofacrimemusteitherpayasignificantsumofmoneyorremain incarcerateduntiltheirtrialdate.In1992,DCoverhauleditscashbail system,releasingindividualsaccusedofcrimesbackintotheir communitieswithoutfinancialpenaltiesuntiltheirtrialdate.InAugust, PresidentTrumpsignedanexecutiveordereliminatingDC’scashlessbail policy,placingpressureontheDistricttoincarceratemorepeople.Studies showthatanyamountoftimeinjailcorrelatestoincreasedratesofmental andphysicalillness,includingdepression,hypertension,cancer,and hepatitis.
PresidentTrump’sattackoncashlessbaildidnotstopwithDC.OnAugust 25,thepresidentissuedanotherexecutiveorderthataskstheDirectorof theOfficeofManagementandBudgettoidentifyfederalfundsthatcould berevokedfrommunicipalitiesandstatesthathaveeliminatedcashbail, asystemthatdisproportionatelyimpactslow-incomeBlackcommunities.
CongresswomanEleanorHolmesNortonhasrepresentedWashington,DC inCongresssince1991andisthelongestservingmemberofthe CongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC).CongresswomanNortonissuedthe followingstatementinresponsetoPresidentTrump’sexecutiveorderson DC:
“Threeweeksago,despitehistoricallylowcrimeandforpurposes opposedbyeightoutoftenD.C.residents,PresidentTrumpdeclareda “crimeemergency”inD.C.asapretextforfederalizingD.C.’slocally fundedpolicedepartment.Hedeployedmorethan2,000National Guardtroops,putgunsintheirhands,andsentmaskedICEofficersto forciblytakecommunitymembersfromourstreets.PresidentTrump hasusedD.C.residentsaspropsinapoliticalplaytoshowcasehisown power.”FullStatement