Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a revised directive on Friday, returning authority over the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department to Chief Pamela Smith. However, the order still keeps the city under the Trump administration’s oversight for now.
This new move came just after a federal court hearing challenging DEA Administrator Terrance Cole’s sudden appointment as “emergency police commissioner” the day before. That earlier order had given Cole full control over DC police, but Bondi’s latest revision rescinds that, opting for a more limited approach.
During Friday’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes urged both the Justice Department and DC’s legal team to find middle ground to avoid her having to issue an emergency ruling or restraining order.
In line with that advice, Bondi’s updated order clarifies that Cole must coordinate any police directives through DC Mayor Muriel Bowser — a shift in process, but not in authority. Despite the procedural change, Bowser is still legally required to comply with law enforcement directives coming from the Trump administration.
Legal showdown over local control
DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit Friday pushing back against Bondi’s initial order, calling it a federal overreach. Though Trump’s administration maintains authority over DC policing for now, Schwalb viewed the court’s developments as a significant win for local governance.
“Today marks a crucial victory for Home Rule,” Schwalb said outside the courthouse, referencing the Justice Department’s agreement to revise parts of the order.
Schwalb emphasized that under the Home Rule Act, the president can only request limited assistance from DC police under strict conditions — and must do so through the mayor and chief of police. He stressed that the law doesn’t allow for unilateral federal control of the police department.
Police chief warns of safety risks
In a court filing related to the lawsuit, Chief Pamela Smith warned that the federal takeover puts both her officers and DC residents in serious danger.
“In nearly 30 years of policing, I’ve never seen a more dangerous government directive,” Smith stated, noting she wasn’t informed of Trump’s plans to take over the department until he publicly announced it.
DC leaders push back
Mayor Bowser, while maintaining that she wants federal law enforcement efforts to benefit the city, recently criticized the Trump administration’s actions as authoritarian. She and other city leaders have taken a firm stance against the federal intervention.
After reviewing Bondi’s revised order, Schwalb deemed it illegal, arguing that Trump has no legal authority to remove the police chief or interfere with MPD’s chain of command.
In a letter to Chief Smith, Schwalb wrote that the Bondi directive unlawfully bypasses the mayor’s authority and oversteps federal power. He stated clearly that Smith is not legally obligated to comply.
Tensions rise over immigration policy
Bondi’s revised order also directed MPD to reverse a policy Chief Smith had issued earlier that day, which limited officers’ communication with federal immigration authorities. The new order also required prior approval from Cole for any future department directives.
According to a DOJ source, the earlier MPD policy was seen as reinforcing sanctuary city protections — something the Trump administration has vowed to eliminate.
Bondi also demanded that Bowser rescind two additional MPD policies aimed at shielding undocumented immigrants, including one that prohibits arrests based solely on federal immigration warrants.
This comes in the wake of Trump’s declaration of a public safety emergency in DC, under which he appointed Cole as temporary commissioner of the police department — part of a broader federal push to impose stricter immigration enforcement in the city.
Bondi made the administration’s stance clear in a Fox News appearance Thursday: “DC will no longer act as a sanctuary city protecting criminal aliens. That ends now.”
DC Council member Christina Henderson responded to the developments on social media, saying, “Respectfully, the Attorney General does not have the authority to revoke laws.”
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