Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order rescinding sanctuary city policies in Washington, D.C. and naming an "emergency police commissioner."

Washington, D.C.’s attorney general calls administration’s actions ‘gravest threat’ to district’s self-governance

Attorney General Pam Bondi tapped the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief Thursday to serve as Washington’s “emergency police commissioner,” a move to wrest power from the District’s current police chief amid the Trump administration’s law enforcement takeover.

A standoff over the Trump administration’s push to take over law enforcement in the nation’s capital appeared to near a resolution after the Trump administration agreed to let Washington DC’s police chief remain in charge of her department.

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday evening ordered DC’s mayor and police department to accept Terry Cole, the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency, as the district’s “emergency police commissioner” and give him full control of the department during the federal takeover — quickly drawing rebukes from the district’s mayor and attorney general,

The attorney general’s comments came as she issued a new directive voiding commands issued – as recently as earlier Thursday –  by DC Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith.

"Commissioner Cole shall assume all of the powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police," Pam Bondi said on Aug. 14.

The federal government takes control of Washington DC police operations as DEA Administrator Terry Cole seeks to enforce immigration compliance and reduce crime.

MPD head Pamela Smith warns that the Trump administration’s order would lead to operational chaos and put the lives of District residents at grave risk.

President Donald Trump announced earlier this week the decision to federalize Washington, D.C., as he cited crime and violence.