(NewsNation) — Attorney General Pam Bondi has appointed Terry Cole, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, as “emergency police commissioner” of Washington, D.C.
The designation gives Cole, who was sworn in as the head of the DEA last month, the powers and responsibilities of the chief of police, Bondi told Fox News. She said D.C. police leaders must get Cole’s approval before issuing any orders to the department.
While the move appears to put Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith in limbo, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in a letter that Smith is not obligated to follow the order, calling it “unlawful.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser also pushed back on social media, stating that her city is following the law and that the Trump administration cannot alter the chain of command for D.C. personnel.
An increased number of National Guard troops were on the ground in D.C. on Thursday as the White House expanded its federal enforcement to a 24/7 operation.
On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security pushed back against reports that armed militia groups were in the city, calling them “completely false.” In a statement posted to X Friday, the DHS said “These are federal law enforcement officers working with the Metropolitan Police Department.”
On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security pushed back against reports of armed militia being spotted in the city, calling those claims “completely false.”
In a statement on X, the DHS wrote “These are federal law enforcement officers working with the Metropolitan Police Department,” adding “These officers act in a professional manner, despite individuals verbally berating them and trying to escalate the situation.”
Trump has said his public safety emergency could be extended past its original 30-day limit — either through an act of Congress or by declaring a national emergency.
Inside the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump doubled down on his anti-crime effort, saying he wants to clean up the nation’s capital.
DC’s homeless population faces removal and potential fines, jail time
The National Homeless Law Center said 62 encampments could be targeted by federal law enforcement. Police threw out tents and cleared a camp near the Kennedy Center on Thursday.
Maj. Adam Rios, an Idaho Army National Guard officer who was once homeless, told NewsNation the issue of homelessness is complex and doesn’t end after streets are swept.
“The problem, I think, is ideological. It has to do with a lot of sense of safety … and to be able to target exactly what you’re trying to target. How do you distinguish between the homeless and those that are behaving badly, those who are criminal?” Rios said.
Homeless advocates told NewsNation that as many as 200 extra emergency beds would be set up at shelters across the district, as they prepare for more people to come in.
NewsNation’s Anna Kutz, Michael Ramsey and Meg Hilling contributed to this report.