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

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb are forcefully rejecting U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s late-night order attempting to sideline the local D.C. police chief, calling it unlawful and beyond federal authority.

"It is my opinion that the Bondi Order is unlawful, and that you are not legally obligated to follow it," Schwab wrote in a letter to Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith released on Thursday.

“Regardless of the Bondi Order, no official other than you may exercise all the powers and duties of the Chief of Police or issue any executive orders, general orders, or other written directives that apply to members of MPD," Schwalb said.

According to Schwalb, Section 740 of the Home Rule Act allows the president to direct the D.C. mayor to provide MPD services for special federal emergencies, but it does not authorize the president or a designee to remove or replace the police chef, alter MPD’s chain of command, demand services directly from MPD, rescind or suspend MPD orders or set local enforcement priorities.

Schwalb called Bondi’s move "ultra vires," or beyond legal authority.

"Having been duly appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council, you are the lawfully appointed Chief of Police of the District of Columbia," Schwalb wrote to Smith. "Therefore, members of MPD must continue to follow your orders and not the orders of any official not appointed by the Mayor."

Bowser echoed that position

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-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order Thursday evening formally codifying the federal government's takeover of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department and designating the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration as "Emergency Police Commissioner."

The order comes following assertions by city leaders including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and police Chief Pam Smith that they still maintain control over both the operations of the city's police as well as staffing decisions.

According to the order and information provided by the Justice Department on Thursday, Bondi's directives make clear the federal government's position that DEA Administrator Terry Cole is now serving as the department's "Emergency Police Commissioner" assuming "all the powers and duties" vested in Smith.

The order further states that the police department "must receive approval from Commissioner Cole before issuing any further directives" to the police force.

In addition, Bondi's directive rescinds police policies that aligned with D.C.'s "sanctuary city" laws.

-ABC News' Alex Mallin

As the White House plans to conduct a wide-ranging review of the Smithsonian Institution to ensure the museums align with the president's view of American history, Trump said Thursday that the focus is on being "fair" and not "woke."

"We want the museums to treat our country fairly," he said during remarks from the Oval Office. "We want the museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing."

"Our museums have an obligation to represent what happened in our country over the years, good and bad, but what happened over the years in an accurate way," he continued.

The review of the Smithsonian Institution's museum exhibitions, materials and operations will be conducted ahead of America's 250th anniversary next year.

President Donald Trump said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy want to make peace.

"We're going to see what happens. And, I think President Putin will make peace. I think President Zelensky will make peace. We'll see if they can get along and if they can, it'll be great," Trump said in the Oval Office.

Zelenskyy on Wednesday warned Trump and European leaders that Putin is "bluffing."

"I told my colleagues, the U.S. president and our European friends, that Putin definitely does not want peace. He wants the occupation of our country. And we all really understand that. Putin will not be able to deceive anyone. We need further pressure for peace. Not only American, but also European sanctions," Zelenskyy said.