Executive summary: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed DEA Administrator Terry Cole as Washington D.C.’s emergency police commissioner on August 14, 2025, granting him full operational authority over the Metropolitan Police Department while simultaneously rescinding the city’s sanctuary protections. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Attorney General Brian Schwalb immediately condemned the move as an unconstitutional federal overreach, setting up a legal battle over local autonomy.
Bondi’s order represents a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to assert federal control over D.C. policing. The directive names Terry Cole, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, as emergency commissioner with powers equivalent to police chief Pamela Smith, effectively sidelining local command structures. Concurrently, Bondi revoked sanctuary city policies that had limited cooperation between D.C. police and federal immigration authorities, mandating full collaboration with ICE.
The order was issued Thursday afternoon under Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which the administration claims authorizes federal intervention during ‘public safety emergencies.’ This follows President Trump’s Monday announcement placing D.C. police under direct federal control for up to 30 days. The actions center on Washington D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department headquarters, with immediate effect citywide.
Administration officials justify the move as necessary to combat rising violent crime and address ‘sanctuary policies obstructing immigration enforcement.’ However, D.C. leadership counters that the order illegally bypasses home rule provisions. Within hours of the announcement, Attorney General Schwalb issued a formal determination declaring Bondi’s appointment ‘unlawful’ and advising police commanders to disregard the order. Mayor Bowser characterized it as a ‘blatant assault on district self-governance.’
The immediate impact creates operational chaos within the police department, with officers receiving conflicting directives from federal and local chains of command. Community advocates warn that forced ICE cooperation will devastate trust between police and immigrant communities, potentially reducing crime reporting. Legal experts note the order establishes a precedent for federal takeover of municipal police forces nationwide.
Next steps involve imminent legal challenges from the D.C. government, with Schwalb’s office preparing emergency injunctions to block the order’s implementation. Congressional oversight hearings are expected next week, while the police union grapples with dual-authority dilemmas. The confrontation may ultimately require Supreme Court intervention to resolve constitutional questions about federal power over district governance.