U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would ask congressional Republicans to extend federal control of Washington's city police force beyond 30 days, escalating his campaign to exert presidential power over the nation's capital.

US President Donald Trump wants to keep the police in Washington under federal control beyond mid-September, he said on Wednesday. Trump told journalists he would ask Congress for a long-term extension of the measure,

But during his speech announcing the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees on Wednesday, Trump repeatedly floated circumventing Congress to maintain his hold over the city’s law enforcement. “If it's a national emergency we can do it without Congress, but we expect to be before Congress very quickly,” Trump said.