President Trump Monday promised a dramatic crackdown on crime and homelessness in Washington, D.C., vowing to order more federal law enforcement assets including hundreds of National Guard troops onto the streets of the nation’s capital.
Vowing to “liberate” Washington, Trump said he would put an end to “the days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people,” although he did not share clear plans on how he would achieve those goals.
“Crime, savagery, filth, and scum will disappear,” Trump wrote on his social media site. “I will make our capital great again.”
Trump has also threatened to oust homeless people from the streets of Washington, although it’s not clear if that’s legal or to where he might send them.
The move also comes as Trump seeks to flex his muscle over larger swaths of American society in ways that raise new questions about how the federal government will interact with ordinary citizens as well as state and local governments.
Trump last week directed federal law enforcement agencies to increase their presence in Washington for a week, with the option “to extend as needed.”
On Friday night, federal agencies including the Secret Service, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service assigned more than 120 officers and agents to patrol the streets of Washington.
Andrew Leyden/Getty Images
Border Patrol and FBI agents are seen along the U Street corridor in Washington, D.C. on Sunday night. (Photo by Andrew Leyden/Getty Images)
Trump reportedly plans to order up to 1,000 National Guard troops into the streets of Washington, D.C.
Mayor Muriel Bowser questioned the effectiveness of using the Guard to enforce city laws and said the federal government could be far more helpful by funding more prosecutors or filling vacancies on the D.C. Superior Court.
Bowser, who has sought to avoid conflict with the White House, admits Trump has the legal right to deploy the National Guard. The president also has the legal right to exert more control over the city’s police, but only if certain conditions are met.
Trump’s claims about out-of-control crime in D.C. are not backed up by facts.
Police statistics show homicides, robberies and burglaries are down this year when compared with this time in 2024. Overall, violent crime is down 26% compared with this time a year ago.
Trump has occasionally complained about crime and other issues in Washington, D.C. during his first four-year term, while out of office and since returning to the White House in January.
His latest focus on its woes were apparently triggered by an attempted carjacking attack on Edward Coristine, a high-profile figure in the Department of Government Efficiency who goes by the moniker “Big Balls.” Police arrested two 15-year-olds in the Aug. 3 attack and said they were searching for several other suspects.
Trump has repeatedly suggested federal authorities could take over administering D.C. But that would require Congress repealing the Home Rule Act of 1973, which would likely face major political resistance.
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