President Donald Trump rolled out federal forces in Washington, D.C. on Monday, seizing control of the city’s police department and unleashing National Guard troops — all while critics accuse him of trying to bury the truth about the Epstein files.
“This is Liberation Day in D.C.,” Trump declared at a press conference, flanked by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. “We’re gonna take our capital back.”
He claimed the move was to crack down on crime, saying police would now be allowed to do “whatever they want.” He even said, “You spit, and we hit.”
But the numbers don’t lie. Violent crime in D.C. is down. And even his opponents in Congress are calling the crackdown what it really is — a smokescreen.
“Donald Trump delayed deploying the National Guard on January 6th when our Capitol was under violent attack,” former Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote on X. “Now, he’s activating the D.C. Guard to distract from his incompetent mishandling of tariffs, health care, education and immigration.”
A New Police State — For Show?
Trump is using a provision in the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to override local control. Multi-agency federal task forces — including the FBI and DEA — are already patrolling the streets, according to NPR.
The White House claims the crackdown is about “cleaning up crime,” boasting of 37 arrests, 11 illegal guns, and four narcotics charges in a city of nearly 700,000 people.
Critics see something darker — and more desperate.
“He needs to get his base talking and thinking about something besides his refusal to open up the Epstein files because he’s mixed up in them,” said former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Senator Patty Murray didn’t mince words either: “He’s a pathetic wannabe dictator who wants to distract you from his connection to the Epstein files.”
A Flashback Trump Hopes You Forget
Trump’s sudden “law and order” act doesn’t hold up against his past. On January 6th, 2021, his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Officers were beaten. One, Brian Sicknick, later died. Others were called racial slurs. And Trump? He sat on the response for hours.
But once back in office, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people tied to the Capitol attack — the same “thugs” he now claims he’s protecting D.C. from.
“He pardoned the people who attacked police officers. Now those same officers are being told to follow orders from the man who let their attackers go,” one D.C. resident told a local outlet.
Julian Khater, who sprayed Sicknick with chemicals, was among those granted clemency. And now, the MPD — whose officers were assaulted that day — reports to Trump.
Where Are the Epstein Files?
While Trump plays strongman in the capital, the scandal he can’t shake keeps bubbling beneath the surface.
Last month, the Department of Justice claimed there’s no Epstein “client list” and that no further disclosure is “appropriate or warranted.” That didn’t sit well with Trump’s own base.
Even Trump’s name was confirmed to be mentioned in Epstein documents — though he hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing. Still, the public wants answers.
“I can tell you one thing for sure—crime is WAY up at the White House,” Rep. Jim McGovern posted. “Don’t fall for the distraction. Trump could release the Epstein Files right now if he wanted to. Why won’t he?”
Attorney General Pam Bondi has asked judges to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell investigations. So far, judges are saying no.
Trump hinted his crackdown may not stop with the capital. He name-dropped New York City and Chicago, calling the latter a “disaster” and slamming Illinois Governor JB Pritzker as “incompetent.”
Pritzker fired back: “Let’s not lie to the public, you and I both know you have no authority to take over Chicago. By the way, where are the Epstein files?”
Mayor Muriel Bowser slammed the federal takeover as “unsettling and unprecedented,” saying D.C. doesn’t meet the legal conditions for Trump’s power grab.
“There are very specific things in our law that would allow the president to have more control over our police department. None of those conditions exist in our city right now,” she said.
“We had one of the lowest crime levels and shootings that we’ve had in a July in recent history.”
The Real Motive
Trump is using street crime as a cover while dodging serious questions about his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. And while his supporters may cheer “law and order,” the timing is too convenient.
“He’s not doing this to keep people safe,” said Pete Buttigieg. “He’s doing it to protect himself.”
Until the Epstein files are released, don’t expect the questions to stop.
