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COMMENTARY: Trump Wrong to Federalize Policing in Washington, DC

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The 700,000 residents of the capital are as entitled to self-government as other Americans are and will hopefully eventually achieve statehood. We do not need to be occupied by the National Guard and a federalized police force as if we were an enemy nation conquered in war.

Published

3 months ago

August 19, 2025

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By A. Scott Bolden

President Donald Trump sounded like a 19th-century European colonialist justifying the subjugation of “savage natives” in “darkest Africa” when he recently ordered a federal takeover of the police force in Washington, D.C, and deployed 800 National Guard troops in the city.

This followed Trump’s order assigning 500 federal law enforcement officers — including FBI agents who should be protecting the nation against major threats — to combat D.C. street crime.

Black people make up the largest racial group in Washington — about 43 percent — and the city’s mayor, police chief and non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives are all Black. The president seems to believe they are incapable of fighting crime.

Trump falsely claimed in an Aug. 11 news conference that D.C. “has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs and homeless people.” Not coincidentally, Trump used his news conference to also attack other cities run by Black mayors: Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Oakland.

I’ve lived in Washington for decades. It is a beautiful city, drawing visitors for safe and enjoyable trips from around the world — not the nightmarish hellhole Trump described. We have some of the world’s finest museums, monuments, parks, neighborhoods, and public spaces.

Trump notably failed to mention that crime in Washington fell 35 percent to its lowest level in 30 years in 202,4, and violent crime has plummeted an additional 26 percent so far this year. Some people may not feel safe in Washington, but the significant drop in crime in the capital city hardly qualifies as the “public safety emergency” Trump said existed.

Alarmingly, Trump said that under his orders, police “are allowed to do whatever the hell they want.” What does that mean?

Does the president claim police can violate the constitutional rights of anyone and break any laws they want in their zeal to somehow reduce crime? Is he giving himself the power to allow police to beat or even kill suspected criminals without accountability? Under Trump’s order, will we see more Black people murdered by police, as George Floyd was in Minneapolis in 2020?

Trump has no power to violate the Constitution and laws, no matter how much he wishes he did.

The president’s action overriding the powers of the local government in D.C. constitutes a brazen power grab and a desperate publicity stunt designed to distract attention from his years-long friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He also wants to portray himself falsely — the first convicted felon to serve as president — as a tough-on-crime supporter of police.

The truth is that Trump is the best friend criminals have — as long as they break the law in support of him. He proved this by pardoning about 1,500 people — most of them white — accused or already convicted of crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot that was designed to keep him in power after he was defeated in the 2020 presidential election. Rioters violently attacked and injured about 140 police officers, including five officers who later died.

Washington already has more police officers per capita than any state or large U.S. city. Turning over the police department to federal officials without local knowledge and no hands-on policing experience — assisted by National Guardsmen without law enforcement training — won’t improve the police department’s performance. It will make things worse.

A better way to help D.C. strengthen its police department would be for the U.S. House to approve legislation allowing the city government to spend $1 billion of its local tax dollars on police and other programs this year. Unfortunately, the Republican-controlled House has failed to approve legislation to do this by correcting a mistake in a federal spending bill.

Reducing crime requires more than putting police on the streets and making arrests. It requires a series of policies to prevent crimes, not just respond to them.

More federal funding for private-public partnerships with local businesses and houses of worship can create alternative paths for young people to help them stay out of trouble, graduate from high school, and go on to job training, college, or careers. Programs like these are far cheaper than tracking down and imprisoning criminals, and are more effective at protecting public safety.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said the federal government could do more to reduce crime if it funded more prosecutors in the district and filled the 15 vacancies on the D.C. Superior Court, including some that have gone unfilled for years.

Because the District of Columbia is not a state, the president and Congress have greater power to exercise control than they do over the 50 states. Trump recently said he has asked lawyers to study congressional repeal of the 1973 D.C. Home Rule Act, which gave residents of the capital limited self-government and the right to elect a mayor and city council. Before the act’s passage, the president appointed commissioners who ran local government like colonial overseers.

Increased federal control of Washington is the exact opposite course the president should follow. Rather than denouncing and demonizing city officials as adversaries and falsely portraying Washington, he ought to work with city leaders as allies to reduce crime, homelessness, and other problems that affect all big cities.

The 700,000 residents of the capital are as entitled to self-government as other Americans are and will hopefully eventually achieve statehood. We do not need to be occupied by the National Guard and a federalized police force as if we were an enemy nation conquered in war.

Having the federal government increase its control of D.C. local affairs is a mistake that the president should reconsider, and Congress should halt if he refuses.

A. Scott Bolden is an attorney, NewsNation contributor, former chair of the Washington, D.C. Democratic Party and a former New York state prosecutor.

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Michael: The King of Pop’s Story Returns to the Big Screen

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making.

Published

6 days ago

November 6, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026, with the singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stepping into the spotlight to portray his legendary uncle.

The trailer wastes no time rekindling the aura of Jackson’s genius. Opening with a studio scene between Jackson and his longtime producer Quincy Jones, played by Kendrick Sampson, the clip builds from a quiet, familiar rhythm to the electrifying pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Viewers catch glimpses of the singer’s childhood, flashes of “Thriller,” and the silhouette that redefined pop culture. Each frame reminds fans of why Jackson remains unmatched in artistry and influence. The cast surrounding the late pop king’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, reads like a who’s who of Black entertainment and music history. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, and Larenz Tate takes on the role of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Laura Harrier portrays music executive Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham embodies Diana Ross. Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca, a towering entertainment lawyer and longtime Jackson confidant who later became co-executor of his estate. The film’s journey to release has been as complicated as the icon it portrays. Production wrapped in 2024, but legal hurdles over depictions of past controversies forced extensive reshoots and editing delays. Even so, Fuqua’s film now appears ready to reclaim the narrative, focusing on Jackson’s creative ambition and humanity beyond tabloid noise. IndieWire reported that the film had faced “a massive legal snafu” over a disputed storyline but was retooled to center the music and legacy that defined generations.

Maven. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson

“Michael” promises more than a chronological retelling. It aims to explore how a child star from Gary, Indiana, became the world’s most influential entertainer. The script, written by Oscar-nominated John Logan, traces Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the triumphs and isolation of global superstardom. With Fuqua’s cinematic eye and producer Graham King—who brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to life—joining forces with estate executors Branca and John McClain, the film is positioned as both a tribute and a restoration of Jackson’s cultural truth. Branca’s work behind the scenes has long shaped Jackson’s posthumous success. After the singer died in 2009, Branca and McClain took control of the estate burdened by debt and turned it into a global powerhouse worth billions. Under their stewardship, Jackson’s projects have generated more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales and landmark deals, including a $600 million joint venture with Sony earlier this year. At its heart, though, “Michael” is a story about artistry that transcends scandal. It offers a reminder that, despite the noise surrounding his life, Jackson’s music still bridges continents and generations. The trailer’s closing moments capture that spirit. As the beat of “Billie Jean” swells and Jaafar Jackson moonwalks into a spotlight, audiences are left with a familiar feeling—the awe of witnessing something timeless return home.

“Michael” opens worldwide in theaters April 24, 2026. See the official trailer here.

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Donald Trump Is the Biggest Loser

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Published

7 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan

The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02), says, “Last night was electric, and it was unquestionably a wave.” Democrats won big in what is widely considered a repudiation of Trump’s 9 months at the White House in his second term.

In the state of Virginia, which produced the first big election night win and saw the election of the first woman governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, 56% of Virginia’s residents disapprove of President Trump. In New Jersey, 55% of state residents disapprove of the president; in New York, 69% disapprove; and in California, 63% disapprove of the president. The Trump brand or his support for any candidates did nothing to benefit those he endorsed in this election. They actually lost in each race he publicly put his name behind. Trump endorsed former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost the New York mayor’s race in his run as an independent. And New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor with the presidential endorsement, also lost his prospective race.

The next question is, will the democratic momentum be sustainable? Jones further explained, “This can become a 2026 tsunami, but turning a wave into a tsunami takes energy. A lot of energy. It doesn’t just happen. The conditions are there. Now we have to work!”

Some Democrats would argue that the work is already underway. The pushback against Trump’s national redistricting efforts received a thumb in the eye from California voters. Prop 50, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s counterbalance to President Trump’s redistricting efforts, passed in California last night. Although Trump’s name was not on the ballot last night, his Republican policies were. The United States has now entered the longest government shutdown in its history. Forty-two million Americans are not getting SNAP benefits. Economists are acknowledging that the government shutdown is contributing to the rise in delinquent debt in the student loan, automotive, and credit card industries. These items are among the negatives Americans are protesting against.

Compounding Trump’s political problems is a tariff battle that’s directly impacting pocketbooks. The day after the elections, the Trump administration was arguing before the US Supreme Court in favor of the president’s tariff powers. Meanwhile, President Trump‘s poll numbers are underwater, standing at a 37% national disapproval rate

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Historic Beatdown: Democrats Sweep Virginia as Speaker Don Scott and Jay Jones Make History

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia.

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia. Democrats once again swept all three statewide offices as they did in 2017 during Trump’s first term. Abigail Spanberger easily won the office of Governor, and State Senator Ghazala Hashmi won her race over John Reid to be the next Lieutenant Governor. The victories occurred against the backdrop of a historic win in Virginia by Spanberger that will give Virginia its first woman Governor.

Spanberger’s widely predicted win over Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears was called 17 minutes after the polls closed in Virginia at 7 pm. Former Delegate Jay Jones won his race against incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. His victory means Jones will be the first Black Attorney General in Virginia’s history. Jones’ win was particularly noteworthy since the last month of his campaign was consumed by the issue of private text messages from 2022 to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. Republicans ran a non-stop barrage of negative ads against Jones for a month.

Del. Coyner lost her bid for re-election to Delegate-elect Lindsey Dougherty. The Dougherty race was the number one target for House Speaker Don Scott and his campaign lieutenant, Delegate Dan Helmer. Coyner’s defeat was one of at least 13 victories for Democrats who have now added to their ranks in the Virginia House to historic margins. When the Virginia General Assembly returns to session in January, there will be at least 64 Democrats in the chamber. The widespread Republican defeat is a testament to a combination of historic fundraising, Democrats running in all 100 seats, dislike of President Trump’s policies, and an ineffective top of the ticket featuring Lt. Gov. Earle Sears.

+13: Speaker Scott and Del. Helmer Hit Historic Numbers in Fundraising and Power

As the evening ended, a glaring historic fact became clearer: The Virginia House of Delegates will expand to a historic number. The change means the largest Democratic House chamber in the modern era. There were several notable wins by Democrats running for the Virginia House. They include Virgil Thornton, Lilly Franklin, and Kim Pope Adams. Speaker Don Scott and his campaign chair, Dan Helmer, undertook a record fundraising effort never before seen in Virginia’s history. The moment of success for Virginia Democrats will be viewed as a positive signal for Democrats moving into the 2026 elections.