WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York was blunt when asked on a podcast whether Democrats would vote with Republicans to allow President Donald Trump’s continued takeover of the D.C. police force.
“No f***ing way!” he said Thursday on The Parnas Perspective. “We will fight them tooth and nail.”
But some say he might be leading Democrats into a trap.
Republicans have a history of painting Democrats as soft on crime, and Democrats could be vulnerable to that label in the midterm elections if they oppose Trump’s bid to extend the takeover beyond 30 days, an extension that requires congressional approval.
As Trump plans to expand his law enforcement crackdowns into other blue cities — something he announced last week — Wyoming’s Republican congressional delegation is seizing the moment.
“Americans deserve to feel safe,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso told Cowboy State Daily. “For many people in Democrat-run cities like Washington, D.C., safety feels out of reach.”
Added the Senate’s second-ranking Republican: “Democrat leaders would rather coddle criminals than prosecute them. President Trump and Republicans are committed to public safety and enforcing the law.”
Halperin, Matthews
Commentator and author Mark Halperin said Thursday he believes Trump’s “primary motivation” is genuine concern for the public in D.C.
"But I also will say, yeah, does he see the politics of this? Of course," Halperin said on the “Next Up” podcast. "Does he want to go into the midterm year having people saying which party will keep us safer? ... Of course he does."
Halperin noted Trump's action calls attention to the fact that cities with the highest crime rates are run by Democrats.
A day earlier on MSNBC, Chris Matthews said Democrats are playing into Trump's hands.
"The Democrats are ... falling into the trap of defending what's indefensible," he said.
"It's a trap," co-host Mika Brzezinski agreed.
Recess Winding Down
A vote on whether to allow Trump’s extension of the takeover is likely to be one of the first orders of business in September when Congress returns from its monthlong recess.
Even if Senate Republicans with their 53-47 edge are united, they will still need seven Democrat votes to reach the 60-vote threshold under normal procedure. In the House, where Republicans also hold a slight edge, a simple majority is all that is needed on any vote.
The challenge for Democrats is to show they care about fighting crime while continuing to portray Trump as an authoritarian provoking chaos.
Busy Week
Trump used a provision in the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973 last week to take control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under emergency powers.
Known as “federalization” of the police, Trump can employ this power for 30 days without congressional approval. Trump said he wants Congress to pass “long-term extensions."
Trump also put scores of federal law enforcement agents and National Guard troops on the streets of a city that is 90% Democrat. In addition to declaring war on street crime, Trump said he wants to clear homeless encampments and arrest illegal aliens in one of the nation’s most liberal cities.
Trump moved to replace the D.C. police chief but backed off Friday after D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued the Trump administration, saying the Home Rule Act does not allow the president to go that far, among other claims.
In the deal struck Friday, the Trump administration secured concessions that the municipal police will cooperate on immigration and other federal law enforcement efforts. MPD Chief Pamela Smith stays in place.
The Numbers
According to the MPD, the rates for most major crimes in the nation’s capital have fallen in recent years, something Trump critics are quick to note. Rates refer to the number of crimes in proportion to a city’s population.
The drop appears to be part of a national trend, according to an Aug. 5 announcement by Trump’s FBI. The agency said violent crimes across the country in 2024 were down from 2023.
Nationally, the FBI said, murder was down 15%, rape 5%; aggravated assault 3% and robbery 9%.
Still, the MPD reported that in 2025 so far, the nation’s capital has witnessed roughly 1,600 violent crimes. Burglaries numbered 449 and car thefts were just under 3,000.
The MPD reported 101 homicides so far this year, along with more than 500 assaults with a weapon, nearly 1,000 robberies and 55 rapes.
Reuters, citing data from the nonpartisan Washington-based Council on Criminal Justice, reported last week that only four U.S. cities with populations of at least 100,000 had higher homicide rates in 2024 than D.C.: Baltimore, Detroit, Memphis and St. Louis.
“Anyone who has spent time in Washington, D.C., during these past few years has seen it become dangerous, messy and chaotic,” U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyoming, told Cowboy State Daily on Friday.
“Families visiting from Wyoming and across the country should be able to safely come tour our capital and its attractions without worrying about carjackings, shootings, robberies, or harassment,” Lummis said. “I fully support President Trump's actions on this and believe it's positive news for those of us who believe in law and order in this country.”
Hageman: People Deserve Better
The District of Columbia is a unique jurisdiction in that it is not a state, nor within one.
Though Trump has said his takeover of the D.C. police could serve as a model elsewhere, he has not offered a legal authority for doing so.
For now, the focus in on D.C.
“Our nation's capital should be a symbol of strength, safety, and stability, not lawlessness and chaos,” U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, told Cowboy State Daily on Friday. “President Trump has the authority to ensure order and security within our nation's capital and is right to do so, given the current state of the District.”
Hageman referred to the 30-day expiration of Trump’s federalization of the D.C. police, unless Congress votes to extend it.
“Congress will evaluate if specific legislation or extensions are needed,” she said. “The American people deserve better from their capital, and I support these ongoing efforts to protect public safety and uphold the rule of law.”
‘Egregious Attacks’
D.C. has a non-voting member of Congress called a delegate: Eleanor Holmes Norton, a House Democrat. Norton on Friday announced she is co-sponsoring legislation to halt Trump’s emergency powers in the District.
Just as congressional action is required to extend the 30-day period that Trump is now employing unilaterally, it is also needed to cut short that period.
Norton’s legislation to stop Trump’s takeover is not likely to get a vote, but signals where she stands.
"President Trump’s incursions against D.C. are among the most egregious attacks on D.C. home rule in decades,” she said in an announcement of her legislation.
“D.C. residents are Americans, worthy of the same autonomy granted to residents of the states,” she added. “Our local police force, paid for by D.C. residents, should not be subject to federalization, an action that wouldn't be possible for any other police department in the country.”
Sean Barry can be reached at sean@cowboystatedaily.com.
