President Donald Trump on Monday invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to place the city’s police department under federal control for up to 30 days and ordered the activation of roughly 800 National Guard soldiers. Announcing what he called a “clean-up” of the capital, Trump said the move was necessary to curb “out-of-control” violent crime and homelessness. The Army began mobilising the D.C. Guard on Tuesday, with soldiers reporting to the D.C. Armory before dispersing to sites near national monuments and federal buildings. A defence official said the troops—expected to rotate in shifts of 100–150 and remain on duty until 25 Sept—will focus on perimeter security, crowd management and communications support, and in most cases will not carry firearms. Alongside the Guard, the White House said some 850 federal agents and officers fanned out across the city. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reported 23 arrests and the seizure of six illegal handguns during the first night of operations, while the U.S. Park Police removed about 70 homeless encampments. FBI Director Kash Patel pledged that “more is coming” as the task-force effort expands. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who called the federal takeover “unsettling and unprecedented,” nonetheless vowed to work with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to “make the most” of the additional manpower. City statistics show violent crime has fallen roughly 26 % this year to a 30-year low, fuelling criticism from local officials, civil-rights groups and some lawmakers that the deployment militarises public safety and sets a risky precedent. Several Democrats in Congress said they will introduce legislation to curb presidential authority over D.C. policing.