D.C. Police union leader endorses Trump federalization of law enforcement

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) union chairman Gregg Pemberton on Monday endorsed President Donald Trump's move to assume federal control of the MPD and to deploy the National Guard to the nation's capital as part of an effort to crack down on crime and homelessness.

Trump, on Monday, declared "Liberation Day" for D.C., announcing the takeover of the city's police force, after previously warning the city to clamp down on "youth offenders." The move came in the wake of a string of high-profile criminal incidents, including the mass beating of former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward "big balls" Coristine.

“We stand with the President in recognizing that Washington, D.C., cannot continue on this trajectory. Crime is out of control, and our officers are stretched beyond their limits," he said, according to The Hill. "The federal intervention is a critical stopgap, but the MPD needs proper staffing and support to thrive."

Critics of the move have pointed to a reported drop in D.C. crime rates, though such arguments have struggled to gain traction amid the suspension of MPD staff responsible for compiling those figures due to allegedly faking the stats.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.