A Biden-appointed federal judge has once again thrown up a legal barrier to stop President Trump’s efforts to restore order in the nation’s capital.
Many conservatives see the ruling as another example of activist judges putting politics above public safety.
Biden-Appointed Judge Blocks Trump’s National Guard Mission
US District Judge Jia Cobb approved Washington, D.C.’s request for a preliminary injunction to halt Trump’s deployment of more than 2,000 National Guard troops. The troops were sent in August to fight violent crime, clean up the streets, and protect federal property.
Cobb temporarily paused her own ruling until Dec. 11, allowing the Trump administration time to appeal.
Her decision sides with the city’s Democrat leadership, which has fought Trump’s anti-crime efforts at every turn — despite D.C. residents suffering through record levels of violence, carjackings, property crime, and drug-related chaos.
Judge Claims Trump Lacked Authority — Despite Federal Jurisdiction
Cobb argued that Trump’s constitutional powers to protect federal operations “cannot justify” the deployment of the D.C. National Guard in this case. D.C. officials sued the President in September, claiming he should have sought Mayor Muriel Bowser’s approval.
The administration also briefly federalized the Metropolitan Police Department and surged federal law enforcement into the city. Crime plummeted almost immediately — but the takeover lasted only 30 days before Democrats launched their latest round of lawsuits.
In her ruling, Cobb cited the Home Rule Act to justify the injunction, insisting that Trump “exceeded the bounds” of his authority. Critics say the Act is routinely used by Democrats to block common-sense public safety measures.
White House Fires Back: Trump Is Protecting Americans
Attorneys for the Trump administration argued that the President has clear constitutional authority to direct federal assets — including the National Guard — especially in Washington, D.C., a city created specifically under federal control.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson slammed the lawsuit as a political attack that harms D.C. residents most of all.
“President Trump has every legal right to activate the National Guard in Washington, D.C. to safeguard federal property and support law enforcement efforts,” Jackson said. “This lawsuit is simply another political maneuver — one that harms D.C. residents — aimed at disrupting the President’s highly effective crackdown on violent crime.”
Crime Surge Sparked Trump’s Action
Trump acted after a high-profile assault grabbed national attention: former Department of Government Efficiency employee Edward Coristine — widely known by his nickname “Big Balls” — was beaten while trying to stop a carjacking. The attack symbolized the city’s growing lawlessness and the urgent need for federal intervention.
Trump’s Crime Strategy Serving as a National Model
The President has used the D.C. operation as a blueprint for similar missions in Memphis, Chicago, and Portland. In each case, violent crime dropped — and in each case, left-leaning courts worked aggressively to shut them down.
Despite Democrat resistance, Trump has made it clear he will continue prioritizing public safety and using federal authority to restore order where local officials have failed.
Supreme Court May Issue a Major Ruling Soon
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing Trump’s authority to deploy the National Guard in Chicago, setting up what could become a landmark decision on presidential power — and another showdown between President Trump and activist judges determined to obstruct his agenda.