# So, this is it, right? (Trump Announces He is Federalizing DC Police, and More) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [August 11, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929 "2025-08-11T15:42:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/23 "2025-08-11T17:13:49Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Does anyone here think that Trump’s cavalcade of incompetents will actually manage to do a good job at local law enforcement? The people doing the actual work will be long time law enforcement. It may even help with investigations that have stalled due to lack of manpower or resources. The actual day to day police work will still by done by the people who have been doing it all along ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/24 "2025-08-11T17:17:16Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Is it a coincidence that he’s deployed Federal resources to Los Angeles and DC, both of which are Democratic cities with black women mayors? While that is definitely a ‘plus’, everybody seems to be neglecting the fact that with the city under direct federal executive control, there will be no security forces independent of federal executive or legislative to oppose another January 6th-type insurrection. Not the US Capitol Police, not the Metro Police Department of D.C., not the D.C. National Guard. The GOP is very concerned about mid-term elections going against them in the House of Representatives, and while all of the current attention is on how they are trying to radically gerrymander the already highly tortured electoral map of Texas, they [are also busy in the statehouses of other Republican-dominated states](https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/as-redistricting-war-looms-republicans-have-more-plausible-opportunities-than-democrats/). It is not much of a stretch to imagine that they are also covering bases just in case that election doesn’t go their way (they are already [trying to take over election boards](https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/article311490391.html) and [sow doubts about election integrity in states and districts that they don’t control](https://newrepublic.com/article/194658/republicans-steal-2026-midterms-election-denial-plot)) and if all else fails to appeal to their masses to directly interfere in the election and certification processes at both statehouse and Congressional levels. Not having an independent DC law enforcement presence certainly makes it much easier for the latter. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![mjmartin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mjmartin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmartin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/25 "2025-08-11T17:21:17Z")
Yes, and not just January 6th type action. Any violence against democratic lawmakers in DC will now be responded to and investigated by law enforcement under the direct control of Trump and his hand picked staff. All protests in the city against Trump will be handled by officers and national guard troops under his control. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/26 "2025-08-11T17:22:44Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > > [@ricepad](#): > > > > I’m going to be pedantic for a bit here: There is no such thing as a “small Rubicon”. > > It doesn’t look all that big to me. It’s only a model. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/27 "2025-08-11T17:24:54Z")
> [@mjmartin](#): > > …in a city where crime statistics are down both since last year and over the past decade. I think this is one important element in this exercise. It lets Trump claim success at any time. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/28 "2025-08-11T17:46:43Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > > [@ricepad](#): > > > > I’m going to be pedantic for a bit here: There is no such thing as a “small Rubicon”. > > [It doesn’t look all that big to me.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubicon#/media/File:Foce_rubicone_1_by_Stefano_Bolognini.JPG) The point of Julius Caesar leading Legio XIII in crossing the Rubicon isn’t that the river was difficult for a legion to ford; it is that is represented a decision point by Caesar at which he could no longer turn back and preserve his status; by crossing, he precipitated a civil war that ultimately resulted in the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the more authoritarian and unstable Roman Empire. > [@mjmartin](#): > > Yes, and not just January 6th type action. Any violence against democratic lawmakers in DC will now be responded to and investigated by law enforcement under the direct control of Trump and his hand picked staff. All protests in the city against Trump will be handled by officers and national guard troops under his control. All true, but I suspect the foremost concern is being able to ensure no law enforcement response against an ‘outside’ force trying to prevent an unfavorable election. They’re doing it now to have time to remove people who may not be compliant with eventual plans to allow or even assist people interfering with Democratic Congresspeople being sworn into office. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/29 "2025-08-11T17:50:57Z")
And the real reason, possibly applicable to Trump, is that it was _illegal_ for Caesar to cross the Rubicon with his army. What he’s doing in DC is legal, even if it’s a bad idea. > Governors of Roman provinces were appointed [promagistrates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promagistrate) with _[imperium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperium)_ (roughly, “right to command”) in one or more provinces. The governors then served as generals of the [Roman army](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_army) within the territory they ruled. [Roman law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_law) specified that only the elected [magistrates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_magistrate) ([consuls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_consul) and [praetors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praetor)) could hold _imperium_ within Italy. Any magistrate who entered Italy at the head of his troops forfeited his _imperium_ and was therefore no longer legally allowed to command troops. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/30 "2025-08-11T17:51:48Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The people doing the actual work will be long time law enforcement. It may even help with investigations that have stalled due to lack of manpower or resources. The actual day to day police work will still by done by the people who have been doing it all along Given that FBI agents have been observed handling minor traffic issues, that does not seem to be the case? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/31 "2025-08-11T18:04:46Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > The point of Julius Caesar leading Legio XIII in crossing the Rubicon… I’m amused that you thought I was familiar enough with Italian geography to recognize the Rubicon as the historic name for a shallow river in northern Italy, but _not_ familiar enough with Roman history to know the origin and connotation of the phrase “crossing the Rubicon.” ---
**Author:** ![mjmartin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mjmartin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmartin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/32 "2025-08-11T18:16:42Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > And the real reason, possibly applicable to Trump, is that it was _illegal_ for Caesar to cross the Rubicon with his army. What he’s doing in DC is legal, even if it’s a bad idea. This is why I don’t think the Rubicon is the correct historical comparison. I think this is the setup to the burning of Reichstag. Put all the pieces into position, and then create some “emergency” which demands a forceful response by his assets that are already in DC. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/33 "2025-08-11T18:27:44Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > nd the real reason, possibly applicable to Trump, is that it was _illegal_ for Caesar to cross the Rubicon with his army. Thanks for that important detail. I usually forget that Caesar was _forbidden_ from crossing the Rubicon. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/34 "2025-08-11T18:52:41Z")
Pardon the minor hijack, but this discussion made me look up the Rubicon on Wikipedia. I’m surprised to learn that a.) It’s on the east coast of Italy. For some reason I always thought of it on the west coast. b.) It wasn’t re-identified until 1933! After 42 BC it lost its significance as the boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and Italia, and the name was lost. They had to deduce which river was really the Rubicon before deciding that it was the _Fiumicino_. I knew it was a small river. One illustration I’ve seen shows Julius Caesar appearing to step across it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/35 "2025-08-11T18:59:50Z")
Argh! **Moderating:** **No more on the Rubicon.** > **How to Reply as a linked Topic** > > Click Reply, in the upper left corner of the reply window is the reply type button, _looks like a curving arrow point to the right_. > > Choose **Reply as linked topic** and it starts a new thread. As an example, you can choose GD, IMHO or The Pit for it. > > That is actually the best method. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/36 "2025-08-11T19:06:56Z")
With the idiot, there can never be only one reason. The New Republic says: > **[Trump Planned D.C. Takeover Because He Hated Route to His Golf Course](https://newrepublic.com/post/198985/trump-dc-takeover-route-golf-course)** > > Trump doesn’t really care about D.C. He just cares about things looking nice as he goes to play golf. I can believe it. But it’s also another step toward absolute rule in this country. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/37 "2025-08-11T19:40:28Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > It’s another feint in the direction of autocracy without the prep that would give it muscle. The LA troops were provocative but ultimately a fizzle in terms of forward momentum for a Putsch. This will be too. Well that, and no one in LA directly confronted the troops, provoked them, or even held a decent riot where it would give them an excuse to start shooting so…. that was a fizzle. Because let’s not kid ourselves - Trump _wants_ a firefight between the US military and protesting civilians so he can justify whatever what the next step is in his mind. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/38 "2025-08-11T19:48:08Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Because let’s not kid ourselves - Trump _wants_ a firefight between the US military and protesting civilians so he can justify whatever what the next step is in his mind. Basically. But the step after _that_ might not be what he wants… ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/39 "2025-08-11T19:57:17Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Trump _wants_ a firefight between the US military and protesting civilians so he can justify whatever what the next step is in his mind. Pencil in a date in October when the park service says it is planning for the [Albert Pike statue](https://www.npr.org/2025/08/05/nx-s1-5493106/confederate-statue-albert-pike-reinstall) to be placed back on its plinth in D.C.'s Judiciary Square neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/40 "2025-08-11T20:00:53Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > In 2024, [the homicide rate](https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/sites/rit.edu.liberalarts/files/docs/CPSI%20Working%20Papers/2025-02_CPSI%20Working%20Paper_US%20City%20Homicide%20Stats.pdf) was 5.8 times higher in DC than NYC. The website below is for a list of the crime rates (per person) in all the top 100 most populated American cities. New York City is near the bottom for violent crimes, at 96th highest, and below the middle for property crimes at 60th. Washington is below many cities for violent crimes, at 29th, and at 25th for property crimes. Take a look at the table. Note that you’ll have to click the word Total twice for each of violent and property crimes to have the table ordered from most to least. And this is just for the 100 most populated cities. So what is the town with the highest violent or property crime per person? I don’t think there’s a tale available on line for that. Ranking cities on the basis of what news stories you read most recently is worthless: > **[List of United States cities by crime rate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_crime_rate)** > > The following table of United States cities by crime rate is based on Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) statistics from 2019 for the 100 most populous cities in America that have reported data to the FBI UCR system. > The population numbers are based on U.S. Census estimates for the year end. The number of murders includes nonnegligent manslaughter. This list is based on the reporting. In most cases, the city and the reporting agency are identical. However, in some cas... ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/41 "2025-08-11T20:21:06Z")
nevermind ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929/42 "2025-08-11T22:19:42Z")
The crime problem got personal for trump when Big Balls was beat up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-this-is-it-right-trump-announces-he-is-federalizing-dc-police-and-more/1021929.md?page=3)