In many ways, #Trump’s directive, backed by several signed executive actions, was the culmination of years of his complaints about the nation’s capital & a stated desire to rescue DC “from crime, bloodshed, bedlam & squalor, & worse,” despite a dramatic drop in incidents of violence year-over-year. But in a more narrow sense, it appeared to be a response to one specific crime, an attempted carjacking that took place…Aug 3.
#law #MilitaryState #autocracy #democracy #CivilRights #coup #TrumpCoup2
The victim in that incident was Edward Coristine, a protégé of #ElonMusk & fmr #DOGE staffer known by the nickname “Big Balls.” Coristine had become well known among top WH ofcls, including Dpty Chief of Staff #StephenMiller, & his attack quickly resonated throughout the West Wing [as a ready made excuse to implement #DC takeover plans]. A frustrated #Trump posted a bloodied picture of Coristine to social media…& [threatening the takeover of DC] if it didn’t “get its act together, & quickly.”
In the 8 days that followed, #Trump refocused his attention on #DC. He enlisted AG #PamBondi to oversee the #police & #Defense Secy #PeteHegseth to call up the #troops. #JeaninePirro, who was recently approved as DC’s #USattorney, was prepared to increase prosecutions.
“We will have full, seamless, integrated cooperation at all levels of law enforcement & will deploy officers across the district with an overwhelming presence,” Trump said during a long news conference.
#law #MilitaryState #coup
A White House ofcl…said that the attempted carjacking of Coristine underscored the importance [was a perfect excuse] to what had been a long-standing promise from #Trump to address crime in #Washington.
He had walked up to this line before, threatening a #takeover during the summer of unrest in 2020, but #DC [& military] officials talked him down with warnings that such a heavy-handed & unprecedented approach would only exacerbate tensions in the city.
#law #MilitaryState #autocracy #coup
This time, his admin was less candid with #city leaders.
#Trump had returned to office with plans well in hand for how to meet such a moment, according to the two people. That playbook for asserting more #control ranged from leveraging federal resources to ending #HomeRule altogether. Federalizing the #police was seen as a middle-of-the-road option.
#law #MilitaryState #autocracy #democracy #CivilRights #coup #TrumpCoup2
#Trump had openly opined about a #takeover for years, remarking in 2023 during a visit for the CPAC convention in the National Harbor that…“It’s so disgraceful, so disgusting,” he said, complaining at the image it sent to visiting foreign leaders & floating the idea of the #FederalGovernment taking #control of the #city. “I always made it a point as president, when I saw the highways were dirty, or that the #homeless encampments were starting to form to take care of the problem immediately.”
During the Republican National Convention, #Trump referred to #DC as “a horrible killing field,” [🙄
] & the party’s national platform included promises to “reassert greater Federal Control over Washington, DC to restore Law & Order.”
#law #MilitaryState #autocracy #democracy #CivilRights #coup #TrumpCoup2
But in the first few months, the relationship between #Trump & DC Mayor #MurielBowser (D) was surprisingly strong. He complained about some of the #homeless encampments near the E Street Expressway leading to the White House & State Dept, & she promptly responded. She had the city paint over the bright yellow letters spelling out the words #BlackLivesMatter that she had ordered painted on the ground just steps from the White House during his first term, another act that earned her good will.
Still, #Trump’s interest in reforming the city remained, according to multiple White House officials. Frustration grew within the admin as #city officials were seen as not sharing enough information with #federal law enforcement, one of the people said, & not getting rid of every #homeless encampment as #Bowser had promised.
#law #MilitaryState #autocracy #democracy #CivilRights #coup #TrumpCoup2
About a month after #Trump took office, he again said the #federal government should take over the #city: “I like the mayor. I get along great with the mayor, but they’re not doing the job,” he told reporters on Air Force One. “Too much crime. Too much graffiti. Too many tents on the lawns of these magnificent lawns, & there’s tents.” [he said idiotically]
#law #MilitaryState #autocracy #democracy #CivilRights #coup #TrumpCoup2
…Last week, days after Coristine’s attack, #Trump ordered #federal law enforcement agents from several agencies to be deployed throughout #DC & called for more juveniles to be charged in the adult justice system. In the days leading up to Monday’s announcement, the #FBI began dispatching agents in overnight shifts to help local law enforcement address carjackings & violent crime.
#law #MilitaryState #autocracy #democracy #CivilRights #coup #TrumpCoup2
Still, #DC officials, who had been working for months to coordinate with the White House, were caught by surprise by Trump’s announcement, said #MurielBowser, who at a news conference described pleading her case to #Trump personally. In their first meeting after Trump took office the second time, she said, they spoke about the #city’s improved efforts in combating #crime.
#law #MilitaryState #autocracy #democracy #CivilRights #coup #TrumpCoup2
“In every conversation I have with him, we’re always briefing the president on our progress,” Bowser said. “We went over the crime trends. We went over how we’re seeing decreases. So the president is read in on our efforts.”
#PamBondi has not met w/the #DC #police chief, but had been expecting & prepared for Monday’s announcement, acc/to 2 people…. #TerryCole, head of the #DEA & newly named commissioner of the DC police, for the first time on Monday evening met w/DC Police Chief Pamela A. Smith.
An influx of arrests could hamstring an already understaffed US attorney’s office in #DC, which has seen dozens of prosecutors leave this admin….
The mayor said Monday that she had one call over the weekend that indicated #Trump might deploy the #NationalGuard but did not have reason to believe that the president would place the DC #police under direct #federal #control.
#law #MilitaryState #autocracy #democracy #CivilRights #coup #TrumpCoup2
“I’m going to work every day to make sure it’s not a complete disaster,” #Bowser said at the Monday news conference, as she sought to downplay the impact of the #DC #takeover. “So we are going to work, every day, to get this emergency put to an end.”
She paused briefly & added, “I’ll call it the so-called emergency.”
#Trump #law #MilitaryState #autocracy #democracy #CivilRights #coup #TrumpCoup2
Nonilex