The Continued Federal Takeover of D.C.

August 25th, 2025
Jana Schodzinski

On August 12, 2025, National Guard troops officially arrived in Washington, D.C. following President Donald Trump’s declaration of a “crime emergency” in the district. Since then, the crackdown—which was allegedly put into place to “fight out of control crime”—has only escalated. Whereas the troops sent to D.C. were originally unarmed, the near 2000 law enforcement officers were ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to carry their standard service weapons by August 23. Unrest is on the rise as the federal takeover only intensifies.

Though President Trump’s threats against D.C. have worsened throughout the past month, he’s been threatening the district since his first presidential term. He’s continually made comments alluding to a worsening crime rate in D.C., which is inaccurate, as crime rates in D.C. have been declining since 2024 and have officially reached a 30-year low. Regardless, Trump’s executive order (EO) “Declaring a Crime Emergency in the District of Columbia” requires the Metropolitan Police Department to serve for federal purposes only. Shortly after issuing the EO, checkpoints run by federal officers—including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents—were established in numerous D.C. cities.

The traffic stop-esque checkpoints enabled federal officers to question citizen’s licenses and insurance information at random. These checkpoints quickly got out of hand as officers became violent. For instance, Martin Romero—a local construction worker—was told to pull over at a checkpoint on his way to a construction job in Virginia. Federal officers interrogated each worker in the van as ICE agents rushed over upon hearing the question of legal status. Eventually, two members of the crew were detained without reason. Romero, along with the rest of the party, were left in the dark concerning where the agents were taking the workers and if they’d be returned. D.C. officials are aware of the ongoing violence. On August 14, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser met with President Trump to discuss the takeover. She referred to the excess number of officers as “unsettling and unprecedented” and deemed Trump’s actions part of an “authoritarian push.” It is important to note that D.C.’s lack of statehood has made the occupation much more efficient, as the D.C. National Guard is under the command of the President rather than state officials. Despite this, federal occupation continues amid public rage and unrest. Large crowds of people have gathered in public—perhaps most notably outside of municipal offices—cheering for any denouncement of the occupation, waving signs and banging pots and pans.

There is no end in sight to the federal occupation of D.C. While President Trump needs Congressional approval to use the MPD after 30 days, one extension has already been approved, and more will ensue if deemed necessary. In fact, the second extension is already on recess until early September. Despite this, President Trump does not need further congressional approval concerning the deployment of federal officers. In fact, on Friday, August 22, he threatened to use military force “if we have to”. He did not clarify the threshold at which this would happen. Outside of Washington, the trend of deploying federal officers and issuing checkpoints will continue across 19 states, with Texas projected to have the most National Guard presence. Chicago is set to be the next city targeted, as President Trump announced on August 22 that the city is “a mess.” Additionally, he claimed to have plans to continue the pattern with New York and San Francisco.

Extemp Analysis by: Jana Schodzinski

Question: How will the recent federal takeover impact the District of Columbia in the long-term?

AGD: Though there are likely many jokes to be had about the details of the federal takeover in D.C., an emotionally impactful narrative may be more effective due to the public’s negative reactions to the takeover, as well as the damage already caused by it. Sharing Romero’s story- or others like his- is an easy way to communicate the impacts of the occupation in a widely digestible way.

Background: Outside of the 5Ws, your audience will need to know just how long this takeover has lasted so far, how long it has to go, and, of course, its impact on D.C. residents. Include details such as the executive branch’s overarching power over the district, as well as how Washington officials have responded.

Answer: Of course, there are many directions you could take for this question. One potential thesis is, “The federal takeover will negatively impact the District of Columbia by escalating pre-existing social and political tensions.”

3 Points:

Restricting access to MPD officers and further restricting self-governance
Escalating political polarization and violence
Targeting vulnerable populations in a time of crisis

Analysis: As per most descriptive questions, I’d recommend using squo/change/(impact) substructure. When establishing your body points, remember to not only inform, but also persuade. Address sensitive topics with accurate information and meaningful impacts.

Concluding Thoughts: Remember: the key to success in extemp is finding your own style. Be unique with your points, substructure, on-tops, and power lines- these are commonly the defining characteristics of a round. Good luck in the beginning of the 25’-26’ season!