Trump’s depiction of ‘lawless’ city at odds with crime statistics while local officials say move illegal – key US politics stories from Monday 11 August
Donald Trump has seized control of Washington DC’s police force and ordered the national guard to the capital in an extraordinary move that bypassed the city’s elected leaders.
The US president claimed his actions were needed to “rescue” Washington from a wave of lawlessness – but experts say his portrayal of crime there is rooted in false and misleading claims.
“We’re going to take our capital back,” Trump said, adding he would also be “getting rid of the slums”.
Trump warned that other major US cities with Democratic leadership could be next, including Chicago. “Hopefully LA is watching.”
