Trump admin updates: Trump teases 'big day' at White House

President Donald Trump also said Zelenskyy can end the war "almost immediately."

Last Updated: August 18, 2025, 12:09 AM EDT

President Donald Trump returned from Alaska after his high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the president's crime-reduction push in Washington, D.C. continues.

National Guard are in Washington as part of Trump's plan to reduce violent crime in the city.

On Friday, an order by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi designating the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration Terry Cole as the District's "Emergency Police Commissioner" was retooled after a legal challenge by local officials.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Aug 15, 2025, 5:54 PM EDT

DOJ agrees to scale back Bondi's DC police directive after meeting with DC AG

Attorneys for the Justice Department have agreed to scale back an order from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi that sought to strip the D.C. police chief of her command authority in favor of a federal official appointed by Bondi.

The outcome in the high-stakes legal battle between the Trump administration and D.C. local leaders came after DOJ attorneys and the D.C. attorney general's office deliberated privately for more than an hour and a half to see if they could come to an agreement on potentially revising the directive by Bondi.

Washington Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith speaking in Washington, Aug. 11, 2025, and Attorney General Pam Bondi speaking on Aug. 11 in Washington.
AP

In court proceedings Friday afternoon, DOJ attorneys said they are currently in the process of rewriting sections of the order, clarifying the directive that effectively put Drug Enforcement Administration head Terry Cole as head of the Metropolitan Police Department.

In its place, DOJ said it will note that Cole will serve as the designee for Bondi "for the purpose of requesting services" from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser for any MPD assistance to federal law enforcement.

The agreement was a rare concession by the department in essentially acknowledging Bondi's initial order went beyond what the federal government is permitted to do under the Home Rule Act -- as DOJ's attorneys agreed to alter it to avoid a temporary restraining order from U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes.

"I'm very happy that it looks like hopefully this can get figured out with me having -- without a judge having to do anything, because I think these are the kind of issues that should be decided between the District and the government," Reyes said. "So I'm thankful for you all and for all the people involved to be cooperative about that. But again, if I have to step in, I will."

-ABC News' Alex Mallin, Beatrice Peterson and Luke Barr

Aug 15, 2025, 12:44 PM EDT

Democrats introducing bill to end Trump's federalization of DC -- but it won't pass

Democrats are introducing a joint resolution that would terminate Trump's federalization of Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department.

The effort won't progress in the House, where Democrats are in the minority. Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen is expected to introduce companion legislation in the Senate, where the bill also faces dim prospects given the Republican majority there.

"His current takeover is an abuse of power and nothing more than a raw power grab. It is a direct attack on the ability of the people of the District of Columbia to govern their own affairs," Van Hollen said in a statement.

-ABC News' John Parkinson

National Guard are stationed outside of Union Station in Washington, Aug. 14, 2025.
Sarah Beth Hensley/ABC News
Aug 15, 2025, 11:18 AM EDT

Never seen a 'greater threat' to law and order than Bondi's 'dangerous' directive: DC police chief

Attorney General Pam Bondi's directive asserting control of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department "would upend the command structure" of Washington's police force, "endangering the safety of the public and law enforcement officers alike," Metropolitan Police Chief Pam Smith said in an extraordinary filing seeking an emergency restraining order against the government.

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith speaks during a news conference, Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

"In my nearly three decades in law enforcement, I have never seen a single government action that would cause a greater threat to law and order than this dangerous directive," Smith said in a filing accompany the D.C. Attorney general's request for a temporary restraining order.

The filing follows days of Washington's city leadership, including Smith herself, taking a moderated tone surrounding Trump's invocation of the Home Rule Act to assume control of the city's police force.

While Smith and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser have said repeatedly this week that Trump's order did not relegate their authority over the Washington police department, Bondi's Thursday directive would effectively strip Smith of any command authority and mandate she receive permission from Drug Enforcement Administrator Terry Cole before issuing any commands to officers.

"Requiring literally every directive to receive approval from Administrator Cole prior to issuance as required by the Bondi Order would effectively freeze public safety operations in the District of Columbia," Smith said.

-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson, Luke Barr, Alexander Mallin

Aug 15, 2025, 11:06 AM EDT

Judge sets emergency hearing for DC restraining order

D.C. District judge Ana Reyes has scheduled an emergency hearing for 2 p.m. Friday on D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb's request for a restraining order against U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's directive assuming control over the Metropolitan Police Department.

-ABC News' Alexander Mallin

Sponsored Content by Taboola