Trump Signs Orders Targeting Cashless Bail, Threatens Funding Cuts to Jurisdictions

President Donald Trump on Monday signed a pair of executive orders aimed at rolling back cashless bail, saying the practice undermines public safety. The first order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to compile within 30 days a list of states and local jurisdictions that have “substantially eliminated” cash bail and to identify federal grants that could be suspended or terminated in those areas. A second order focuses on Washington, D.C., where Trump has declared a crime emergency. It instructs local police—now operating under temporary federal authority—to charge suspects with federal offenses whenever possible and to hold them in federal custody before trial. The directive follows the president’s decision to federalize the city’s police force and allow National Guard troops to patrol with weapons. Cashless bail policies, which let many defendants await trial without posting money bond, have been adopted in Illinois and scaled back or eliminated in states including New York, California and New Jersey. Supporters argue the reforms prevent low-income suspects from being jailed solely because they cannot afford bail, while opponents contend the measures enable repeat offenders to commit new crimes. Trump’s orders intensify his broader tough-on-crime agenda ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Civil-rights groups accused the White House of overreach, warning that withholding federal funds could punish entire communities, while the administration pointed to localized studies—such as a 2023 Yolo County, California report showing higher rearrest rates under zero-bail rules—to justify the crackdown.