STORY: U.S. President Donald Trump responded to critics who have slammed the administration’s use of the National Guard and temporary seizure of the police force in Washington D.C., saying that accusations that he is a “dictator” are false.

"I don't like a dictator,” Trump said at a White House event. “I'm not a dictator. I'm a man with great common sense.”

Saying Washington, D.C. was gripped by a violent crime wave, Trump has temporarily seized its police force and allowed National Guard troops to carry weapons while on patrol in the city. He is also threatening to expand the U.S. military presence to cities including Baltimore and Chicago.

Critics have slammed the administration's actions as unnecessary overreach, accusing Trump of manufacturing an emergency to seize greater control of Washington and target Democratic cities.

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VIDEO SHOWS: U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AND OPINING ON PEOPLE CALLING HIM A DICTATOR

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (AUGUST 25, 2025) (UNRESTRICTED POOL – Access all)

1. U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN THE OVAL OFFICE FOR SIGNING OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS EVENT

2. JOURNALISTS AT EVENT

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"So I'm thinking about, you know, when I have some slob like [Illinois Governor JB] Pritzker criticizing us before we even go there. I made the statement that next should be Chicago because, as you all know, Chicago is a killing field right now. And they don't acknowledge it. And they say, ‘We don't need him. Freedom, freedom. He's a dictator. He's a dictator.’ A lot of people are saying maybe we like a dictator. I don't like a dictator. I'm not a dictator. I'm a man with great common sense and I'm the smart person. And when I see what's happening to our cities and then you send in troops, instead of being praised, they're saying 'you're trying to take over the republic.' These people are sick. But I'm really saying, and I say this to all of you, in a certain way, we should wait to be asked because they have cities that are so under control, you know, out of control.”

4. WIDE OF EVENT