A person stands in front of a Humvee vehicle at the Anacostia Park Police Field Office after U.S. President Donald Trump announced federal take over of the Metropolitan Police Department under the Home Rule Act and the deployment of the National Guard to assist in crime prevention in the nation’s capital, in Washington, D.C., August 12, 2025. REUTERS/ Annabelle Gordon
A former federal prosecutor slammed President Donald Trump's efforts to federalize law enforcement in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.
Glenn Kirschner, a former assistant U.S. Attorney, said on his podcast, "Justice Matters," described Trump's moves to federalize the D.C. police force as "offensive, disrespectful, dangerous, and dictatorial." His comments happen at a time when the Trump administration is trying to justify its moves to use military troops as civilian law enforcement officers.
"Ironically and tragically, there actually was a time when Donald Trump should have called up and deployed the National Guard," Kirschner said. "There actually was a day when Donald Trump should have contacted Mayor Bowser and said, 'I desperately need the Metropolitan Police Department forces, the officers, the investigators, the detectives for a federal purpose.' You know what day that was?"
"The worst single-day crime spree in modern Washington history, of course, took place on January 6, 2021," he continued. "Trump issued no order to the National Guard to intervene. Mike Pence did, and later, Trump pardoned the perpetrators."
Trump has also threatened to send military troops to other cities like Chicago, Baltimore, and Los Angeles to address local crime.
The president previously sent the National Guard to Los Angeles because of protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
"So when the DC Attorney General says that Trump's actions are unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful, I will add that they are also offensive, disrespectful, dangerous, and dictatorial," Kirschner added.
Watch the entire episode below or by clicking here.