logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2025
11m 16s

Trump takes over D.C. police. Will other...

NPR
About this episode
President Trump said he’s taking over Washington and announced he’s deploying the National Guard to the city.

And he made another big promise: that his administration would take control of the D.C. police.

The president also mentioned other cities across the country with what he says are high levels of crime.

As President Trump pledges to use his executive authority to control law enforcement in the nation's capital, there are questions about what happens now and what this might mean for other cities across the country.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Yesterday
What’s going on with the stock market?
The AI boom has been a major boost to the stock market. But investors seem concerned that the blue wave of the midterm elections will bring increased scrutiny of data centers and the AI they support. How should we think about what's going on in the stock market?This episode was p ... Show More
9m 13s
Apr 2026
What can Montgomery Alabama teach Americans about Civil Rights?
The landscape of Montgomery, Alabama is a monument to Civil Rights, but is America losing touch with the lessons of that movement?Montgomery, Alabama was the setting for much of the battle for Civil Rights. As the country celebrates its 250 anniversary, NPR’s Debbie Elliot went t ... Show More
9m 52s
Nov 5
Affordability was a top issue at the polls. Can Democrats deliver results?
Voter frustration over the cost of living helped Democrats win major victories during the midterms. But will they actually succeed in lowering costs?This episode was produced by Kai McNamee and Connor Donevan, with audio engineering by Tiffany Vera Castro. Our director is Jonas A ... Show More
8m 5s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2025
Trump Sends the National Guard Into Washington, D.C.
<p>President Trump said on Monday that he would take control of the Washington, D.C., police department and send hundreds of National Guard troops to the city.</p><p>Devlin Barrett, who covers the F.B.I. for The New York Times, explains why the president says this is necessary an ... Show More
23m 48s
Aug 2025
11:10 AM ET: Trump puts DC police under federal control
President Donald Trump has announced he's placing the Washington, DC, police department “under direct federal control” while also deploying the National Guard. Listen for more details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
32s
Sep 2025
Should The Federal Government Step In To Help Cities Manage Crime?
September is the end of the fiscal year for Congress, and there is considerable concern on Capitol Hill about whether they will finish the appropriations process in time. And last month, President Trump announced that he would utilize the National Guard and other federal forces t ... Show More
35m 5s
Sep 2025
When the National Guard Comes to Town
<p>One month after sending the National Guard into Washington, D.C. saying they would fight crime there, President Trump is so pleased with the results that he is discussing how to put federal troops onto the streets of cities across the country — from Chicago to New Orleans. It’ ... Show More
36m 48s
Aug 2025
How can the president take over a city's police department?
On Monday, August 11th, Trump announced a takeover of Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan police. He also deployed National Guard troops and federal agents to the streets, all in the name of cracking down on crime. We called on political scientist and historian Dan Cassino to help us ... Show More
35m 1s
Oct 2025
Why is Trump deploying forces to US cities? | The Bottom Line
Arguing that some places in the United States – primarily those governed by Democratic officials – are rampantly crime-infested, President Donald Trump has been deploying military forces to cities from Los Angeles to Washington, DC. Former National Security Council official Kori ... Show More
23m 56s
Sep 2025
Trump Says D.C. Is Now ‘Crime Free.’ What’s The Reality?
After nearly a month of federal law enforcement and military personnel patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., President Trump says the District is a “crime-free zone.” We discuss what’s really going on in the city, as well as the pressures on the majority Democratic city’s D ... Show More
20m 43s
Aug 2025
Trump’s Political Theater Won’t Save D.C.
<p>President Trump deployed the National Guard in Washington, D.C., and is threatening to do so in other American cities. On this episode of “The Opinions,” the Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle is joined by the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French to debate w ... Show More
34m 11s