‘We Can Do It Without Congress’: Trump Wildly Claims He Can Federalize DC Indefinitely

MSNBC anchor Katy Tur reported on President Donald Trump claiming that he can federalize Washington, DC, indefinitely, despite the law only allowing for a 30-day takeover.

“The National Guard is stepping up its presence in Washington as the president federalized law enforcement in that city. But in California, his attempts to do something similar are being fought in court, where a federal judge is now weighing the Posse Comitatus Act today, after the state sued President Trump for federalizing the National Guard there during protests against immigration raids. We could get a ruling potentially as soon as today. As we wait, we watch what is unfolding in Washington, where, unlike California, the president does have the authority to take over law enforcement, but only for 30 days,” Tur began, before playing a clip of Trump from earlier in the day.

Reporter: Your federalization of the police has a 30-day limit unless Congress acts to extend it. Are you talking to Congress about extending it, or do you believe 30 days is sufficient?

Trump: Well, if it’s a national emergency, we can do it without Congress. I think the Republicans in Congress will approve this pretty much unanimously. The numbers are worse than they ever were. Don’t let anyone tell you they’re not. And the whole statistical charts that they made, the whole thing is a rigged deal. They said it’s the best in 20 years. No, it’s the worst in 20 years.

The Home Rule Act only allows the president to take over the DC police force for thirty days, and Trump would require an act of Congress to extend beyond that deadline. Trump’s invocation of “emergency powers” has been behind many of his more controversial moves, including his sweeping tariffs and jailing of migrants in El Salvador.

“Those numbers about crime in D.C. are not correct, and while many in Washington say the crime level, while decreasing, is still too high, sending in the National Guard is not being welcomed, especially since they can’t really do anything. But the show of it, and the desire to grab complete and total authority without Congress and without local consent, is ringing alarms,” Tur added.

Watch the clip above via MSNBC.

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