Washington D.C. Attorney General Sues to Block Trump Administration’s Takeover of Local Police

Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has filed a lawsuit to block what city leaders call a “hostile takeover” of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) by the Trump administration. The legal challenge comes after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi invoked emergency powers to install Drug Enforcement Administration chief Terry Cole as “Emergency Police Commissioner,” effectively sidelining MPD Chief Pamela Smith.

The administration cited rising public safety threats as justification, using a provision in the D.C. Home Rule Act that allows federal intervention in emergencies. Under the order, MPD must also reverse its sanctuary policies and cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and Schwalb argue the move is unconstitutional, exceeds the president’s authority, and undermines D.C.’s limited self-governance. They are seeking an immediate court order to restore local control. Critics say the federal action is politically motivated and not supported by crime statistics, which show violent crime in the District at a 30-year low.

The lawsuit sets up a high-stakes battle over the extent of presidential power in the nation’s capital and could determine how future emergencies are handled in Washington.