In Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser is facing a challenge unlike any other mayor in the country — a direct federal takeover of her city’s policing, ordered by President Donald Trump under emergency powers.

Trump’s move, announced Monday, places the Metropolitan Police Department under his control for 30 days, activates the D.C. National Guard, and deploys hundreds of federal law enforcement officers across the city. The White House says the surge is aimed at tackling violent crime, but it comes at a time when D.C.’s crime rates have been trending downward.

Bowser, who has sparred with Trump in the past, has chosen to cooperate publicly with the administration, emphasizing the practical need to coordinate with the sudden influx of federal resources. “What I’m focused on is the federal surge and how to make the most of the additional officer support that we have,” she told reporters Tuesday after meeting with Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Behind the careful wording, Bowser acknowledged to community leaders that the president’s actions amount to what she called an “authoritarian push.” Still, unlike many Democrats in Washington and around the country, her criticism has been restrained — a reflection of the unique constraints the District faces.

Federal law gives the president sweeping authority over D.C. in an emergency, including control of its police force. The city’s “home rule” charter, granted by Congress in 1973, allows residents to elect a mayor and council, but Congress — and by extension, the president — retains ultimate authority. D.C.’s lack of statehood means Bowser must navigate situations where her autonomy can be quickly curtailed.

That reality has been compounded by a separate standoff with Congress over $1 billion in frozen city funds. Although the Senate has approved a fix, the House has yet to act, and lawmakers are away on recess. With that money still withheld, Bowser has fewer resources to push back against the federal government’s moves.

This is not the first time Bowser has clashed with Trump over law enforcement in the city. In 2020, she sharply criticized his decision to send federal officers into D.C. to disperse peaceful protests in Lafayette Square, an operation that cleared the way for him to walk to a nearby church for a photo opportunity.

Yet the two have occasionally found common ground — most recently in efforts to bring the Washington Commanders football team back to the city from Maryland. In May, Bowser even attended a White House news conference on the subject.

Now, their relationship is again tested. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said 850 federal officers and agents were deployed Monday night, resulting in 23 arrests for offenses ranging from homicide to fare evasion.

Mayors elsewhere are watching closely. Justin Bibb of Cleveland, who heads the Democratic Mayors Association, called the situation “absolutely” concerning, noting Trump’s recent use of the California National Guard for immigration enforcement in Los Angeles. But he defended Bowser’s approach, pointing out that her lack of full state authority leaves her with fewer options than her counterparts in other cities.

“She’s going to continue to do the job she’s been doing on reducing violent crime, with or without the support of Donald Trump,” Bibb said.

Bowser, for her part, has been careful to frame the moment in constitutional terms. “He has prerogatives in D.C. unlike anywhere else in the country,” she said Monday. “There are things that, when a city is not a state and not fully autonomous and doesn’t have senators, that the federal government can do.”