12:30 REPORT

Monday, August 11 | By Cate Martel

Today in DC: ⛅ 80° View Online | Sign up

It's Monday. Who else is glued to TikTok for "Bama Rush" this week? Do you think social media star Izzy Darnell will get a bid?

In today's issue:

Trump deploys National Guard to DC
DC police now under Bondi's control
FBI patrolling Washington
Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury files sealed
Trump's upcoming Putin meeting
Inside the Oreo-Reese's collab

🪖 IN WASHINGTON

Should we change the name to 'Fort District of Columbia'?:

The Hill, Greg Nash

President Trump is ramping up military presence in Washington to combat violence and crime in the city, announcing this morning that he will activate the National Guard in the nation's capital.

"Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people, and we're not going to let it happen anymore. We're not going to take it," Trump said.

The Metropolitan Police Department will now be under direct federal control, Trump said. That means Attorney General Pam Bondi will oversee the DC police department. 🔎 Check out this list of administration officials with multiple titles

^ Keep in mind about this police takeover: "Trump must provide written notification to Congress within 48 hours outlining his rationale for taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department. The president can unilaterally control the department for up to 30 days, but Congress must approve any extension." (The Hill)

It's another Liberation Day: Trump declared today as "Liberation Day D.C.," not to be confused with his tariff "Liberation Day" in April.

What are the crime stats in DC?: "Crime in D.C. was down 35 percent in 2024 from the previous year, marking a 30-year low. Data from the district shows violent crime is also down so far in 2025 compared with the previous year." (The Hill)

He turned to the journalists at the press conference: "You people are victims of it, too. You're reporters and I understand a lot of you tend to be on the liberal side, but you don't want to get mugged and raped and shot and killed. And you all know people and friends of yours that that happened."

💻 Watch Trump's press conference

🗨️ Follow today's live blog

Timing: Last week, Trump mobilized federal law enforcement, including the FBI on night patrol in D.C., according to several news reports. The Washington Post reports that roughly 120 FBI agents have been deployed for overnight shifts to crack down on carjackings and violent crime in the capital.

Trump's vision: Trump said his plan "will not only involve ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation's Capital, but will also be about Cleanliness and the General Physical Renovation and Condition of our once beautiful and well maintained Capital," he posted on Truth Social. 🔎 Read Trump's full post

📹 DEA officers patrolling the National Mall

Tidbit: The briefing room was *packed* this morning. The Hill's Niall Stanage 📹posted a video of reporters crowding the standing room.

And in classic Trump press conference fashion, he veered off into other topics:

He mentioned transgender people playing in sports: "Nobody's ever come up to me. 'Sir, you have to let men play in women's sports.' … Nobody's ever approached me. I don't even know where this issue even comes from."
And touted his immigration policies: "Nobody comes to our southern border anymore. Three months in a row, we've had zero. I don't know if that's right," Trump said, arguing "the people who do the work" estimated that figure.
And bashed Democrats: "They just got walloped in an election in a landslide and they haven't changed one thing."
Oops, I think he misspoke: Trump mentioned that he's "going to Russia on Friday." He is planning to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, but that meeting is in Alaska. Keep scrolling for more on that meeting.

⚖️ THE EPSTEIN CONTROVERSY

We won't see the Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury files:

"A federal judge on Monday refused the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury materials used to charge Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime accomplice of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein," reports The Hill's Zach Schonfeld.

Backstory: "The Trump administration looked to break the normal secrecy of grand jury proceedings amid mounting public pressure, including from much of the president's political base, to release more files on the case."

Does this apply to Epstein's case?: No, that's a separate request. "The administration has made a similar request in Epstein's case, which remains pending and will be handled by a different federal judge."

🐻 OTHER NEWS

I bet Alaska is beautiful in August:

President Trump is traveling to Alaska later this week to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending its war with Ukraine.

What will be discussed?: Trump confirmed they would discuss a plan to swap territories as part of potential peace talks.

Backstory: Trump has given Putin a short deadline to end its fighting with Ukraine. Putin reportedly presented the administration with a ceasefire proposal last week that would include Ukraine giving up territory. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the idea.

Some insight into the administration's thinking: Vice President Vance said over the weekend that "we're done with the funding of the Ukraine war business."

➤ INTERESTING READ:

🥤Soda bans aren't following the usual partisan lines: GOP states are trying to ban soda and candy from food assistance programs. Recent attempts to ban soda have mostly been concentrated in blue cities, as The Hill's Nathaniel Weixel points out, so this movement is flipping traditional partisanship on its head. Read: 'Red states lead push for MAHA soda bans'

COMING UP

The House and Senate are out. 🌴 President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST)

2 p.m.: The Texas House of Representatives holds a special session. 💻 Livestream

🐝 INTERNET BUZZ

🥪 Celebrate: Today is National Panini Day.

🚪 *Cue the AOL door-close sound*: AOL is discontinuing its dial-up internet service at the end of September. Who else is surprised that it's still around in 2025?! LINK

🍬 This is so intense, and I'm SO here for it: Oreo and Reese's announced a big collaboration. The Wall Street Journal's Jesse Newman reports on the massive, secret undertaking to merge the two powerhouse snacks.

Excerpt: "In theory, the idea behind the products was simple. In practice, merging two of America's most iconic snacks, while maintaining their individual identities, was a deeply complex undertaking, requiring cloak-and-dagger tactics reminiscent of the Manhattan Project. Executives and food scientists met in secret and spoke in code, keeping knowledge of the effort to a tight circle to prevent leaks. Experimental cookies and candy under development were hidden in foil wrapping while company officials shuttled to and from corporate offices and the research-and-development labs where recipes were being tweaked." Read: 'Oreos Combined With Reese's? Inside the Manhattan Project of Snacks.'

👋 AND FINALLY…

Because you made it this far, watch how this husky is handling his family welcoming a new baby.

Stay Engaged

I love hearing from you — send your feedback, tips and favorite cookie recipes 🍪 to cmartel@thehill.com. Check out more newsletters here. See you next time!