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President Donald Trump is scheduled to conduct a patrol with the Metropolitan Police and the National Guard Thursday, following his efforts to federalize the police department and dispatch troops to crack down on crime in Washington.
“I’m going to be going out tonight with the police and with the military, of course,” Trump said in an interview Thursday with radio host Todd Starnes.
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Trump initially mobilized 800 D.C. National Guard troops as part of his effort to reduce crime in Washington Aug. 11. Since then, National Guard troops from Ohio, West Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee have also been tapped to support the Trump administration’s effort.
Trump’s ride along with law enforcement and National Guard troops comes just after Vice President JD Vance visited National Guard troops in Washington’s Union Station Wednesday.
“We are seeing really substantial effects because these guys are busting their a–,” Vance said Wednesday.
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“Right here in Union Station, you have vagrants, you have drug addicts, you have the chronically homeless, you have the mentally ill who harass, who threatened violence, who attacked families,” Vance said. “And they’ve done it for far too long. This should be a monument to American greatness.”
Under the 1973 Home Rule Act, a temporary federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is authorized for emergency situations up to 30 days. After that time-frame expires though, Congress must step in and approve any extensions. However, similar restrictions don’t exist for D.C. National Guard troops in the Home Rule Act.
Vance also signaled Wednesday extensions could occur, depending on how much progress is made over the next few weeks.
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Meanwhile, Washington officials filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s move to federalize local police Friday.
“By illegally declaring a takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its temporary, limited authority under the law,” Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote in a Friday X post. “This is the gravest threat to Home Rule DC has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it.”
Fox News’ Patrick Ward contributed to this report.
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