Senators Warn Trump is Building a Federal Police Force in D.C.

December 9, 2025

The Trump administration is dramatically expanding the U.S. Park Police force, transforming it from a specialized agency focused on monuments and parkland into a significantly larger law enforcement presence throughout Washington, D.C. Democratic senators have raised serious concerns about this expansion, questioning the removal of physical and psychological testing requirements for new hires and demanding answers about the legal authority for federal officers to perform general policing duties in the capital. Internal documents reveal plans to establish Park Police as the premier law enforcement agency in D.C., capable of operating independently of local police and city council decisions. The senators argue there is no evidence of increased crime on park service land to justify this expansion, which they characterize as an attempt to create a presidentially-controlled police force for authoritarian purposes.

Who is affected

District of Columbia residents
U.S. Park Police (existing force and new recruits)
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
D.C. City Council
Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley (Oregon), Chris Van Hollen (Maryland), Dick Durbin (Illinois), and Ron Wyden (Oregon)
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum
Black community (identified by ACLU as particularly vulnerable)
Residents of San Francisco and New York (potential expansion locations)

What action is being taken

The Trump administration is conducting an aggressive hiring spree to expand the U.S. Park Police force
The administration is removing physical fitness testing and psychological testing requirements (allowing self-attestation instead)
The administration is rolling back pursuit restrictions
Democratic senators are sending letters with 21 separate inquiries demanding explanations and documentation
The Interior Department is responding to criticism with statements defending the expansion

Why it matters

This expansion represents a fundamental shift in federal policing authority within the nation's capital, potentially creating a presidentially-controlled law enforcement force that could operate independently of local governance. The removal of traditional hiring safeguards like physical and psychological testing raises concerns about officer readiness and accountability. The expansion fulfills predictions made by civil rights organizations about increased federal law enforcement power and potential targeting of specific communities, particularly the Black community. It also raises constitutional questions about the appropriate balance between federal and local law enforcement authority in American cities.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer