NEWS
NEWS

National Guard troops arrive in Washington DC as Trump's federal takeover begins

Updated

President Donald Trump took unprecedented steps toward federalizing Washington, D.C. on Monday, saying it's needed to fight crime even as city leaders pointed to data showing violence is down

Members of the District of Columbia National Guard arrives at the District of Columbia National Guard Headquarters
Members of the District of Columbia National Guard arrives at the District of Columbia National Guard HeadquartersAP

He took command of the police department and deployed the National Guard under laws and Constitutional powers that give the federal government more sway over the nation's capital than other cities. Its historically majority Black population wasn't electing its own city council and mayor until 1973, when Republican President Richard Nixon signed the Home Rule Act.

Hours after Paramount and UFC announced a billion-dollar rights deal, Dana White said he had yet to hear from his friend, President Trump, on his thoughts about the fight company's new streaming home.

That was fine with White. The UFC CEO was set to travel to Washington on Aug. 28 to meet with Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, to catch up and discuss logistics on the proposed Fourth of July fight card next year at the White House.

Trump said last month he wanted to stage a UFC match on the White House grounds with upwards of 20,000 spectators to celebrate 250 years of American independence.

"It's absolutely going to happen," White told The Associated Press. "Think about that, the 250th birthday of the United States of America, the UFC will be on the White House south lawn live on CBS."