FBI Director Kash Patel backs Trump plan to federalize DC police

FBI director Kash Patel endorsed President Donald Trump’s plans to take over the Metropolitan Police Division to sort out crime in Washington DC, within the midst of heavy criticism of Democrats and native officers who say that the transfer is a part of an influence grip.

Patel was seen on Monday afternoon in a command publish for the primary night time of the short-term takeover in a present of help for legislation enforcement.

“Proud to be a shoulder to shoulder with the women and men who hold the capital of our nation protected,” Patel stated in an unique rationalization to Fox Information Digital. “When you depart good cops, give them the instruments they want and help each step of the street, they ship – each time.”

In images which can be solely supplied to FOX Information Digital, Patel might be seen who speaks on Monday with the workers of FBI and Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) who carries protecting cardigans in a command heart at a police station within the US.

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FBI director Kash Patel with FBI brokers in Washington, DC on 11 August exterior the Park police station, the command heart heart for the brand new efficiency of the Trump administration in opposition to crime within the capital of the nation. (Courtesy: FBI, completely supplied to Fox Information Digital)

On Monday, Trump stated that he would federalize the police and place Pam Bondi underneath the authority of the American legal professional in an try and sort out the crime. He additionally stated that he activated round 800 nationwide guard troops to “restore rights, order and public security” within the capital.

Washington DC, mayor Muriel Bowser, referred to as the motion ‘disturbing and unprecedented’.

“Though this promotion is disturbing and unprecedented at present, I can not say that contemplating a part of the rhetoric from the previous that we’re completely shocked,” Bowser stated throughout a press convention. “I can inform the inhabitants of DC that we’ll proceed to use our authorities in a method that makes you proud.”

Trump’s plan to make use of the Nationwide Guard in DC Sparks -Retent of residents – however some welcome it

The District of Columbia House Rule Act permits Trump to position the town’s police underneath federal management for 30 days. Bowser famous that the granting of DC Statehood, a problem that native officers have repeatedly advocated, may have prevented the acquisition.

“If persons are nervous that the president can transfer the Nationwide Guard to our metropolis, the time to do this would have been when the congress had a invoice that it may have given management of the DC Nationwide Guard to DC,” she stated. “So there are issues that, when a metropolis is just not a state and isn’t utterly autonomous and has no senators who can do the federal authorities.”

FBI director Kash Patel with FBI brokers in Washington, DC whereas the Trump authorities is making ready to take over the DC police. (Courtesy: FBI, completely supplied to Fox Information Digital)

Different Democrats closely criticized the Trump authorities for the transfer.

“If President Trump desires to assist Trump to make Chicago safer, he can begin releasing the funds for anti-violence packages which can be essential for our work to cut back crime and violence,” stated the workplace of mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson. “Submitting the Nationwide Guard would solely serve to destabilize our metropolis and undermine our efforts for public security.”

The Washington metropolis council, DC, referred to as the short-term takeover a ‘manufactured housebreaking on the native authority’.

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President Donald Trump speaks with reporters within the James Brady Press Briefing Room within the White Home, Monday 11 August 2025, in Washington as from the left, secretary of the inside Doug Burgum, Minister of Protection Pete Hegseeth, social -general Pam Bondi and FBI director Kash Patel, have a look at. (AP Photograph/Alex Brandon)

“Violent crime within the district is on the lowest charges now we have seen in 30 years. The federalization of the Metropolitan Police Division is unjustified as a result of there isn’t any federal emergency state of affairs,” the council stated in a joint assertion. “Moreover, the Nationwide Guard has no coaching for public security or information of the native legal guidelines. The function of the guard doesn’t embrace investigating or resolving crimes within the district. Calling the Nationwide Guard is an pointless dedication with out a actual mission.”

The delegation of the Nationwide Capital Area, a physique consisting of assorted democratic legislators of the home, accused Trump of non-public incitement to crime within the capital, referring to the riot of January 6, 2021 within the US Capitol Constructing.

FBI director Kash Patel spoke with FBI brokers whereas the Trump administration federalizes the metropolitan police division. (Courtesy: FBI, completely supplied to Fox Information Digital)

“Trump’s ‘short-term’ takeover of the metropolitan police is just not meant to stop crime, it’s a comfortable launch of authoritarianism,” the group stated in a press release. “Trump has an extended -existing sample of the seek for turbulent impressions of energy. As he has repeatedly demonstrated, Trump works to serve himself and isn’t involved with protecting American households in cities and villages in our nation.”

“The announcement of the President this morning is an unprofit and unacceptable publicity stunt,” they added. “If he desires to cut back crime within the District of Columbia, he should concentrate on getting his Republican allies within the congress to randomly stripped out of the finances of the town, which dangers cuts on legislation enforcement and different public security measures.”

FBI director Kash Patel with FBI brokers in Washington, DC on 11 August exterior the Park police station, the command heart heart for the brand new efficiency of the Trump administration in opposition to crime within the capital of the nation. (Courtesy: FBI, completely supplied to Fox Information Digital)

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Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Academics Union, referred to as Trump’s announcement a “gross over -range, disconnected from precise circumstances on the spot.”

“So now we have to ask ourselves: will the cruel present of the president really feel the typical DC resident safer? Will it create jobs for working folks and bringing prospects again to corporations within the metropolis heart?” she stated. “Will it supply younger folks a technique to jobs, expertise or different actions that hold them off the road?”

FBI director Kash Patel met brokers earlier than the takeover of the DC Police. (Courtesy: FBI, completely supplied to Fox Information Digital)

“The reply to these questions is ‘no’, she added.”

Trump’s opponents have cited crime statistics to indicate that crime in Washington is declining. The crime in Washington this yr has fallen 26% in comparison with the identical time-frame in 2024, in keeping with the MPD. Assaults with a harmful weapon have fallen by 20percentand murders have fallen by 12%, in keeping with the police. In January the Ministry of Justice stated violent crime In 2024 within the district, 35% fell in comparison with 2023, the bottom it was in additional than 30 years.

Nevertheless, Trump doesn’t agree.

Knowledge from Metropolitan Police Division exhibits that though the homicide price has fallen, the most important variety of murders have seen within the final 5 years since 2008.

“The homicide price in Washington is at present larger than that of Bogota, Colombia, Mexico Metropolis, a number of the locations you hear about because the worst locations on earth, a lot larger,” Trump stated Monday. “That is a lot larger. The variety of automotive thefts has doubled within the final 5 years and the variety of carjackings has greater than tripled. Murders in 2023 have reached the best proportion, in all probability ever. They are saying 25 years, however they have no idea what which means as a result of it simply goes again 25 years can’t be worse.”

Andrew Mark Miller from Fox Information Digital has contributed to this report.