Washington, D.C., sued the Trump administration on Thursday over its deployment of National Guard troops in the capital, calling it an illegal and dangerous use of military force that violates the city’s autonomy and multiple federal statutes.
The 52-page complaint, filed in federal court by D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb (D), seeks to block President Donald Trump’s deployment of more than 2,000 troops, many from Republican-led states, who have been patrolling neighborhoods, conducting searches, and making arrests despite long-standing prohibitions on military policing.
NEW: We are suing to block the unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to DC.
Armed soldiers should not be policing American citizens on American soil.
The forced military occupation of the District of Columbia violates our local autonomy and basic freedoms. It must end.
— AG Brian Schwalb (@DCAttorneyGen) September 4, 2025
“Armed soldiers should not be policing American citizens on American soil,” Schwalb said in a statement. “The forced military occupation of the District of Columbia violates our local autonomy and basic freedoms. It must end.”
Trump announced the deployment on Aug. 11 as part of a broader anti-crime campaign that has included surging federal agents from multiple agencies and an attempted takeover of the city’s police department. The White House has claimed the increased federal presence is responsible for a sharp drop in violent crime.
Critics and opponents of Trump, such as Schwalb, call it excessive and wasteful, arguing the move violates the Home Rule Act and a congressionally approved compact surrounding the interstate mobilization of National Guard troops.
“Congress gave the President no role in policing the District. What is more, the interstate compact that Congress approved entitles the District alone to determine when to ‘request’ emergency assistance,
including ‘National Guard forces,’ from other states,” lawyers for Schwalb’s office wrote in the complaint. “Neither the President nor the military he controls may supplant these judgments by deciding for themselves how to police the District or by unilaterally inviting other states to send National Guard forces to ‘assist’ the District.”
The city’s Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser, signed an executive order this week formalizing coordination with federal authorities, though she emphasized it was meant to provide an “off-ramp” from the current federal emergency, which only empowers the president for 30 days absent congressional action. “We don’t need a presidential emergency,” she said Wednesday.
But the administration argues the deployment is lawful because the D.C. National Guard reports directly to the president, unlike state guards, which are controlled by governors unless federalized. Since D.C. is not a state, Trump, as commander in chief, can deploy the National Guard without needing approval from local leaders, a constitutional and statutory prerogative dating back decades.
Despite mounting criticism, the mission appears far from over. A National Guard official confirmed this week that troop deployments are expected to continue through December to ensure benefit eligibility, with guidance on extended leave now in development.
As of Tuesday, about 1,300 troops from states including West Virginia, Louisiana, and Ohio remained in D.C., some of whom have been seen cleaning trash and laying mulch, raising concerns about military readiness.
Between Aug. 7 and Aug. 25, Washington experienced a sharp decline in most major crime categories compared to the same period in 2024. Overall violent crime fell by 49%, dropping from 180 to 92 incidents, while offenses such as robbery and burglary also saw notable decreases, according to a CBS News analysis of MPD data.
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The lawsuit follows a court ruling in California this week that found Trump’s earlier use of the military in Los Angeles violated federal law, though the legal landscape could be drastically different given the distinctions of sovereignty between states and federal districts. Schwalb also previously sued to block an attempted federal takeover of D.C.’s police leadership, which resulted in a compromise between the city and the administration to reinstate D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith last month.
Trump is currently considering National Guard deployment in other domestic locations, such as Chicago, to address continued violent crime and homicides. The president has been emphatic about his desire to send guardsmen to Chicago, but has been vague about when any deployment may happen.