Democrats have been in full meltdown mode since President Trump federalized the Washington, D.C. police force and deployed National Guard troops to combat the capital’s spiraling crime crisis.
The Left’s talking heads have been working overtime to paint Trump’s decisive action as authoritarian overreach.
But CNN’s own top legal analyst just handed Democrats one reality check that completely nuked their anti-Trump narrative.
CNN legal expert destroys his own network’s spin
During a panel discussion on host Abby Philip’s show, CNN’s senior legal analyst Elie Honig did something that left liberal panelists absolutely stunned.
The former assistant U.S. Attorney agreed with Trump’s federalization of D.C. police and National Guard deployment – and he had the legal expertise to back it up.
Honig delivered two devastating blows to the Democrats’ narrative that sent their talking points crashing down in flames.
First, he flat-out admitted that Washington, D.C. is "dangerous" and that the public safety situation desperately needs improvement.
Second, he explained that surging resources when crime is running rampant is standard law enforcement practice.
"They’re called task forces," Honig explained during the panel discussion.¹
The legal analyst even acknowledged that part of the heavy law enforcement presence is "for show" – and that’s by design to give the public assurance and deter criminals.
Honig didn’t just defend Trump’s actions – he endorsed them, saying the move "won’t hurt" and is necessary given that D.C. is "a mess."
Democrats’ January 6 argument gets demolished
The most crushing moment came when Honig completely rejected Democrats’ desperate attempt to tie Trump’s current public safety measures to January 6th.
Despite personally believing Trump should have been charged over January 6th, Honig made it crystal clear that whatever happened that day has absolutely nothing to do with enhancing public safety in Washington, D.C. today.
That reality check left liberal panelists visibly uncomfortable as their favorite talking point went up in smoke.
The Democrats on the panel were "aghast" as their carefully crafted narrative crumbled in real time.
Torres tried to counter by claiming Trump’s actions were overreach and that more funding to the police would be more sensible.
But Scott Jennings delivered the knockout blow by pointing out that the D.C. police union had endorsed what Trump was doing.²
Torres had no comeback for that inconvenient truth.
Democrats exposed as all talk, no action
The most telling moment came when Honig called out the typical Democrat response to rising crime.
When Democrats claim Trump’s actions are just "theater" that won’t address D.C.’s crime problem, the public recognizes that as "Democrat speak for we don’t want to do anything," Honig noted.
He then posed a question that Democrats couldn’t answer: "Would you rather have national security out in D.C., where you work, or not?"³
That simple question exposed the fundamental emptiness of the Democrats’ position.
Here they are, working in a city they admit is dangerous, complaining about the very security measures designed to protect them and their constituents.
The article also noted that D.C. Police Chief and Mayor Muriel Bowser haven’t challenged Trump’s action in court.
If Trump’s federalization was truly the authoritarian overreach Democrats claim, wouldn’t you expect legal challenges from local officials?
Their silence speaks volumes about the legitimacy of Trump’s actions.
Trump’s common-sense approach vs. Democrat dysfunction
This CNN panel perfectly captured the fundamental divide on crime policy between the parties.
Trump moved swiftly to deploy federal resources where they’re needed most. The Democrat response? Complaints about process and hand-wringing about optics.
Honig’s analysis cut through the political noise to focus on practical results. His legal background gave him the expertise to recognize effective law enforcement strategy when he sees it.
Consider the optics here – CNN’s own legal expert had to school his liberal colleagues on basic crime-fighting tactics. That’s not a great look for the anti-Trump crowd.
The President campaigned on bringing law and order back to American cities. Three weeks into his second term, he’s already putting those plans into action with the kind of federal coordination that actually works.
Democrats keep reaching for the "authoritarianism" playbook, but voters have heard that song before. They’re more interested in results than rhetoric at this point.
The most telling detail? Local D.C. officials haven’t rushed to court to challenge Trump’s actions. Sometimes silence speaks louder than press conferences.
¹ CNN Panel Discussion, "Abby Philip Tonight," CNN, August 13, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
