Appeals Court CRUSHES D.C. – Trump WINS Big

A federal appeals court just handed President Trump the legal ammunition he needs to keep Washington D.C.’s streets patrolled by National Guard troops, delivering a crushing blow to local officials who wanted federal forces withdrawn despite an 83% drop in carjackings.

Story Highlights

D.C. Circuit Court unanimously ruled to indefinitely pause a lower court order requiring Trump to withdraw National Guard troops from Washington
Over 2,300 National Guard troops from eight states will continue patrolling D.C. through at least February 2026
Crime statistics show dramatic improvements since deployment, including seven consecutive days without homicides for the first time in years
D.C. Attorney General continues legal challenge despite preliminary court loss and acknowledged crime reductions

Federal Court Delivers Unanimous Victory

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a 32-page ruling on December 17, 2025, that allows President Trump’s National Guard deployment to continue indefinitely. The three-judge panel, including two Trump appointees and one Obama appointee, found the administration has a strong likelihood of success on appeal and cited D.C.’s unique federal status as justification for presidential authority.

The unanimous decision overturned U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb’s November 20 ruling that declared the deployment illegal. The appeals court emphasized that withdrawing the Guard would disrupt the lives of over 2,300 service members while potentially endangering federal operations and public safety in the nation’s capital.

Crime Statistics Tell a Compelling Story

The numbers behind Trump’s D.C. deployment paint a stark picture of success that even local officials cannot ignore. Within nine days of the August 11-12 National Guard deployment, Washington recorded seven consecutive days without a single homicide for the first time in years. Carjackings plummeted by 83%, while overall violent crime dropped significantly across the federal district.

Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an official order on September 2, 2025, formally acknowledging the violent crime decrease directly attributable to the Guard presence. This admission came even as her own city’s Attorney General Brian Schwalb pursued legal action to remove the federal forces, creating an awkward political dynamic within D.C.’s leadership.

D.C.’s Unique Federal Status Proves Critical

The appeals court distinguished Washington D.C. from other jurisdictions where Trump attempted Guard deployments, noting the federal district’s special constitutional status. Unlike blocked deployments in Portland, Oregon, or Los Angeles, California, where state consent issues arose, D.C. falls under direct federal authority for law enforcement purposes.

The court described potential Guard deployments in non-consenting states as “constitutionally troubling” while affirming presidential authority within the federal district. This legal distinction provides Trump with a clear path for continued federal law enforcement intervention in D.C. while limiting similar actions elsewhere without state cooperation.