Donald Trump's shocking news conference on Monday (11 August) saw him announce plans to take over the Washington, D.C., police department.
The US president, 79, said police can now 'do whatever the hell they want' if they are faced with 'violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals' in the nation’s capital.
He earlier accused DC Mayor Muriel Bowser of not being able got reduce crime rates in 'one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world.'
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This is despite overall crime decreasing by seven percent since last year, with violent crime down 26 percent and property crime reduced by five percent, according to ABC.
"We're here for a very serious purpose. Very serious, very," Trump said at the start of the news conference.
"Something's out of control. But we're going to put it in control very quickly, like we did in the southern border.
"I'm announcing a historic action to rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse. This is Liberation Day in D.C., and we're going to take our capital back."
Watch below:
Trump told reporters that Attorney General Pam Bondi will be in charge of the Metropolitan Police Department, while DEA Administrator Terry Cole will be interim federal commissioner.
The Republican leader said cops are now 'allowed to do whatever the hell they want', and that DC 'has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs and homeless people'.
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He said he's personally noticed countless occasions where members of the public would spit at police officers without any response, and that he would no longer stand for it.
In his address, he said homeless people will be 'removed' from DC's 'beautiful parks, which now a lot of people can't walk on'.
"They've been very, very dirty, very - got a lot of problems," he added.
"But we've already started that. We're moving the encampments away, trying to take care of people.
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"Some of those people, we don't know how they even got there.
"And some of those people are from different countries, different parts of the world.
"Nobody knows who they are. They have no idea."
However, Washington Mayor Muriel Boswer issued a response later that day and insisted that 'we're at a 30 year violent crime low', saying 'this action today is unsettling and unprecedented'.
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She said she wasn't 'totally surprised' with what Trump had to say, 'given some of the rhetoric of the past'.
The day before, Trump wrote on Truth Social that 'the Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY'.
"We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital," he said. "The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong."
A White House official said that the cops will now 'be focused on high traffic tourist areas and other known hotspots'.
Commenting on the decision on Reddit, one person said: "This clown and his circus need to be run out of town."
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"No man is above the law. Except for the president. And his cabinet. And the US Military and National Guard. And the DOJ staff. And the FBI. And the police," another added.
"If law enforcement is going to protect citizens then they need to be able to handle their emotions better than this," someone else said.
Topics: US News, Donald Trump, Politics
Anish Vij