Attorney General Pam Bondi tapped the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief Thursday to serve as Washington’s “emergency police commissioner,” a move to wrest power from the District’s current police chief amid the Trump administration’s law enforcement takeover.

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday evening ordered DC’s mayor and police department to accept Terry Cole, the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency, as the district’s “emergency police commissioner” and give him full control of the department during the federal takeover — quickly drawing rebukes from the district’s mayor and attorney general,

The attorney general’s comments came as she issued a new directive voiding commands issued – as recently as earlier Thursday –  by DC Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith.

The White House has backed off plans for a full takeover of the D.C. police force and will allow for the city’s police chief to remain in charge after a judge indicated they would block the move.

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.

MPD head Pamela Smith warns that the Trump administration’s order would lead to operational chaos and put the lives of District residents at grave risk.

The meeting came after Trump on Monday announced plans to use a 1973 D.C. Home Rule Act provision to send National Guard troops to D.C. and temporarily federalize the city.

The left sees President Donald Trump’s attempted takeover of law enforcement in Washington as part of multifront march to autocracy