Hundreds of demonstrators poured into the streets of Washington, DC, voicing strong opposition to President Trump’s controversial move to assume control over the city’s policing and to deploy National Guard troops alongside federal officers. The protesters pledged that their resistance would not cease, even as political divisions emerged across states, with West Virginia agreeing to contribute troops while Vermont firmly declined to comply with the federal request.
The demonstration began in the heart of DuPont Circle, where crowds gathered with determination, raising their voices in unison with chants such as “Shame” and “Trump must go now!” Protesters condemned what they saw as an alarming overreach of executive power and demanded that the so-called “crime emergency,” imposed through an executive order earlier in the week, be rescinded. As the march progressed toward the White House, the energy of the chants carried through the streets, with DC Metropolitan Police and National Park Service officers observing the unfolding rally from a measured distance rather than engaging directly with the crowd.
The protest was also fueled by political tension following a failed attempt by Attorney General Pam Bondi to appoint Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole as an “emergency police commissioner,” a role that would have handed him sweeping authority over DC’s police force. This plan, seen by many as a direct assault on local autonomy, was swiftly abandoned after DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a federal lawsuit, effectively halting the measure. Schwalb later declared it a “very important win for home rule,” emphasizing the significance of preserving the city’s independence from federal intervention.
Despite the legal victory, the mood among demonstrators remained cautious, with many expressing that the lawsuit was only a temporary safeguard against the larger issue of Trump’s expanding influence over DC’s law enforcement. Protesters pointed to the troubling presence of National Guard soldiers in their city as evidence that the struggle was far from over. Some participants voiced frustration with Trump’s policies in personal terms, with DC resident John Smith remarking that he felt safe walking in his neighborhood and dismissing Trump’s claims about threats to public safety as disconnected from reality.
Sam Goldman, speaking on behalf of the activist organization Refuse Fascism, which played a major role in organizing the rally, called for greater unity and collective action nationwide. She urged people not only in Washington but across the United States to rise up against what she described as the destructive agenda of Trump and his supporters. Goldman highlighted that “millions and millions” of ordinary citizens inherently opposed everything connected to Trump’s leadership and insisted that these shared sentiments must translate into mass mobilization. She also revealed that her group had already begun preparations for additional demonstrations in the nation’s capital in the weeks ahead.
While the White House has yet to issue an official response to the unrest, the matter has already drawn varied reactions at the state level. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey confirmed his decision to send between 300 and 400 National Guard troops to Washington, aligning firmly with Trump’s call for a stronger crackdown. By contrast, Vermont Governor Phil Scott rejected a similar request earlier in the week, signaling divisions within the Republican Party itself regarding the federal approach to policing and public order in the capital.
