Following is a statement from Susan Corke, executive director of Democracy Defenders Action, regarding President Trump’s announcement Monday that he will federalize Washington D.C.'s police force and deploy federal law enforcement to the city.

“President Trump’s escalating attack on democratic norms has now taken aim at our nation’s capital, and it is shocking, though not surprising, to see him weaponize misinformation to justify an authoritarian power grab. Washington D.C. has long been a target of his partisan ire. Now he seems to be making up statistics and pretending the city is a war zone, even though violent crime is at a 30-year low and continuing to fall this year.

“Instead of acknowledging the truth, President Trump is inventing an ‘emergency’ so he can seize control of the DC Metropolitan Police Department, flood the city with federal agents, and deploy the National Guard. This is another means of consolidating power and silencing dissent. Washington D.C. is just the beginning. President Trump has threatened to take over other states and cities he claims are ‘poorly run,’ which so happen to be Democratic strongholds. Other targets for his overreach include Chicago, Baltimore, New York state, and other ‘blue’ states and cities.

“The very foundation of our democracy is at stake. Washingtonians and all Americans deserve governance that reflects local will and protects their rights, not the whims of a president seeking unchecked control. Democracy Defenders Action will continue fighting this authoritarian encroachment through our courts, through mobilizing in our communities, and by demanding accountability at every level.”

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Democracy Defenders Action brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state, and local allies across the country committed to upholding the rule of law, fighting against autocracy and defending the Constitution.