Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to the streets of Washington, DC, taking federal control of its policing operations. The order lasts for 30 days. Mr Trump evoked his authority under the 1973 District of Columbia Home Rule Act, the first time a president has used it to federalise the police, claiming that the city was awash in crime and homelessness. Violent crime surged in 2023 but fell by 35% last year to a 30-year low.