Tipsheet

CNN's Top Legal Analyst Just Blew Apart the Dems' Anti-Trump Narrative on Federalizing D.C.

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  August 14, 2025 6:55 AM

I’m sure CNN’s Scott Jennings didn’t expect this moment during the panel discussion about President Trump’s federalization of the D.C. police force and deployment of the National Guard into the capital to combat rising crime: the top legal analyst for the network agreed with the administration’s moves here. Elie Honig, a former assistant US Attorney, did two things that nuked the Democrats’ anti-Trump narrative here—he said D.C. is “dangerous,” and that a common tactic when crime is running rampant is to surge resources. 

They’re called task forces, he said on host Abby Philip’s show. It’s done all the time, with the FBI teaming up with local and state law enforcement. Is it for show? Some of it is, yes, by design. It’s meant to give the public some assurances and deter crime when there’s a heavy presence like the one we see right now in D.C.  

Honig seems to endorse the move, says it won’t hurt, and that D.C. is a mess, and the public safety situation must be improved. He also rejected the Democrats’ January 6 argument, despite thinking Trump should’ve been charged for his actions, but that’s for another time. He said that day, and whatever happened there, has nothing to do with what’s happening now regarding enhancing public safety. 

The liberals were aghast.  

Rep. Richie Torres’ (D-NY) counterpoint was obliterated after Jennings noted that the DC police union endorsed what Trump was doing. The congressman thought Trump’s actions were overreach and that more funding to the police was more sensible.  

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Concerning Honig, he said it was theater and wouldn’t address the crime problem in D.C., which is another talking point that’s disregarded by the public, because they know that’s Democrat speak for we don’t want to do anything. 

“Would you rather have national security out in D.C., where you work, or not?” asked Honig. Honig ripped the guts out of the Democrats’ narrative in less than five minutes. The senior legal analyst also noted that the D.C. police chief and Mayor Muriel Bowser have not challenged this action in court. That’s saying something.