U.S. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on 25 August aimed at dismantling cashless bail, a system that allows some defendants to await trial without posting money bond. One order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to catalogue states and localities that have largely abolished cash bail and to identify federal grants and contracts that could be withheld from them. A separate order targets Washington, D.C., instructing police to pursue federal charges where possible and hold suspects in federal custody, effectively sidestepping the city’s three-decade-old cashless bail regime. Announcing the measures in the Oval Office, Trump declared, “Cashless bail, we’re ending it. But we’re starting by ending it in D.C.” The White House fact sheet says the policy seeks to ‘ensure that criminal defendants who pose a threat to public safety are not released from custody prior to trial.’ The administration has also asserted authority to federalize policing in the capital and has signaled it could deploy military forces to Democratic-led cities such as Baltimore and Chicago if local leaders resist. Critics contend the orders exceed presidential powers. Legal scholars note that pre-trial release rules are primarily set by states and municipalities, and say any attempt to impose federal standards or cut funding is likely to face court challenges. “It is the prerogative of states and of municipalities to decide how they are going to operate their criminal-justice system,” said Northwestern University law professor Alexa Van Brunt. Cashless bail has expanded in recent years; Illinois fully abolished monetary bail in 2023 and early academic studies there report no spike in crime. Supporters argue the reform prevents low-income defendants from languishing in jail, while opponents, including Trump, claim it endangers public safety. The president’s push signals that crime policy, and in particular cashless bail, will feature prominently in Republican messaging ahead of next year’s congressional elections.