President Donald Trump defiantly insisted Wednesday that he did not need Congress’s blessing to maintain his control of Washington, D.C.’s police.
The president was asked if he was talking to Congress about extending his control of the Metropolitan Police beyond 30 days after he declared Monday he was federalizing the force to combat crime in the nation’s capital.
“If it’s a national emergency, we can do it without Congress,” Trump claimed. “But we expect to be – to Congress – before Congress very quickly.”
The president made the comment while speaking to reporters at the Kennedy Center.
While Trump claimed he did not need Congress, he said he would be engaging Republicans to address crime.
“We’re going to need a crime bill that we’re going to be putting in, and it’s going to pertain initially to DC,” the president said.
He then went on to suggest he would indeed be asking for “long term extensions because you can’t have 30 days.”
The president also noted that he “never went to Congress for anything” when it came to the border, stating “I just said ‘close the border.’”
“I don’t want to call a national emergency. If I have to I will. But I think the Republicans in Congress will approve this pretty much unanimously,” Trump said moments later.
Trump has the authority as president to take control of the city’s police force under Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.
However, it does have limitations. The emergency control will expire in 30 days, unless Congress passes a law to extend it.
Trump called for increased law enforcement as he looked to crackdown on crime in DC. He has also complained about seeing homeless encampments along city streets.
As part of the effort, some 850 law enforcement officers and agents surged out across the city Monday night, the White House said on Tuesday.
The president has also called in the National Guard. Service members could be seen starting to arrive at the National Mall Tuesday night, and more are expected.
Trump also again suggested he could take action in other blue U.S. cities on Wednesday.
“That’s going to serve as a beacon for New York Chicago, Los Angeles and other places all over the country,” he said.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has pushed back on the president’s law enforcement takeover, arguing violent crime in the city is at its lowest level in 30 years.
She has also been advocating for DC statehood this week for the more than 700,000 residents who live in the nation’s capital.
Trump on Wednesday blasted the idea of DC statehood as “ridiculous.”
“We want to straighten this place out. Statehood is ridiculous. It’s unacceptable,” he said.
The post Trump Plots New Power Grab As He Takes Control of DC Police appeared first on The Daily Beast.
