The Attorney General of Washington D.C., Brian Schwalb, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, demanding that the federal government cease deploying the National Guard in the city.
In a statement released on September 4, Schwalb emphasized that the use of the National Guard for law enforcement was both unnecessary and dangerous for the District and its residents.
Schwalb argued that military personnel, particularly those from out of state, should not patrol city streets due to their lack of accountability to local residents and their insufficient training in local law enforcement.
“This may be Washington D.C. today, but it could be other cities tomorrow,” Schwalb said, highlighting the broader implications of federal overreach. The lawsuit aims to halt what he described as the illegal overreach of the federal government.
The lawsuit names President Donald Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and the U.S. Department of Defense as defendants.
According to Schwalb's office, the deployment of the National Guard in the city is tantamount to a "military occupation" that exceeds presidential authority and threatens public safety and the local economy.
The White House and Pentagon have not yet commented on the lawsuit.
This legal action comes just days after a federal judge in California ruled that Trump violated the law by using military forces to suppress protests in Los Angeles.
Washington D.C. is governed by the District of Columbia government under the oversight of the U.S. Congress.
On August 11, President Trump declared a public safety emergency in Washington, activating the Self-Government Act to deploy nearly 2,300 National Guard troops to the city. Trump described Washington D.C. as a “filthy and crime-ridden city.”
Under federal law, Trump also has the authority to control the D.C. police force for up to 30 days.