The head of the Washington, D.C. police department inadvertently proved once and for all today why President Trump had no choice but to federalize the DC police and send in the National Guard, as she proved incapable of answering a simple question.
As The Gateway Pundit’s Jordan Conradson reported, President Trump on Monday announced that he was invoking Section 740 of the DC Home Rule Act to place Washington, DC’s Metropolitan Police Department under “direct federal control” and authorizing the Secretary of Defense to deploy National Guard troops in Washington, DC.
“We’re formally declaring a public safety emergency. This is an emergency. This is a tragic emergency, and it’s embarrassing,” Trump said. “This city will no longer be a sanctuary for illegal alien criminals. We will have full, seamless, integrated cooperation at all levels of law enforcement, and we’ll deploy officers across the district with an overwhelming presence.”
Trump also said that Attorney General Pam Bondi was “taking command” of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
During a press conference with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith was asked about the current chain of command.
“Do you know what the chain of command is now?” the reporter queried.
This is a question any top law enforcement officer should be able to answer. But Smith had no clue what the reporter was talking about.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
She then walked away from the podium, and Bowser stepped up.
WATCH:
REPORTER: “Do you know what the chain of command is now?”
D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith: “What does that mean?” ♂️
Smith previously served as the Police Department’s “Chief Equity Officer”. pic.twitter.com/CdggV2lnP9
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 12, 2025
Bowser went on to explain how the process works, unlike her police chief.
“The executive order is clear. The President has requested MPD services, and our Home Rule charter outlines the process,” she explained. “The president designated Attorney General Bondi as his proxy to request services for me.”
Smith joined the MPD in 2022 and served as its chief equity officer. As chief equity officer, she led the department’s efforts on DEI.
Bowser selected Smith to serve as the next Chief of Police at the Metropolitan Police Department on July 17, 2023. She was confirmed unanimously by the radical left D.C. City Council on November 7, 2023, becoming the first black female to serve in the role.
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