US President Donald Trump has spent days escalating his rhetoric on crime in Washington DC, calling the US capital “totally out of control” and ordering a federal law enforcement surge before a Monday press conference to outline a sweeping crackdown.
On Sunday Trump wrote on Truth Social: “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don't have to move out. We're going to put you in jail where you belong.”
The Democratic mayor of Washington, Muriel Bowser, pushed back on Trump's claims, saying the city is “not experiencing a crime spike” and highlighting that violent crime has fallen to a 30-year low. Trump called Bowser “a good person who has tried”, but said she's been given many chances while crime numbers continue to worsen.
Violent crime fell 26% in the first seven months of 2025 and overall crime dropped 7%, according to the city's police department, but gun violence remains an issue. In 2023 Washington had the third-highest gun homicide rate among US cities with populations more than 500,000, according to gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety.
Over the past week, Trump has intensified his messaging, demanding the swift eviction of homeless residents and vowing to jail offenders. He has raised the prospect of stripping the city of its local autonomy and signalled a possible full federal takeover.
The Trump administration is also preparing to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, a US official told Reuters, a controversial tactic Trump used recently in Los Angeles to respond to immigration protests over the objections of local officials.
Trump has not made a final decision, the official said, adding the number of troops and the role they would play are still being determined.
The District of Columbia, established in 1790, operates under the Home Rule Act, which gives Congress ultimate authority but allows residents to elect a mayor and city council. Trump said last week lawyers are examining how to overturn the law, a move that would probably require Congress to revoke it and him to sign off.
Trump has cited a recent assault on a federal staffer and viral videos of youth crime to argue the nation's capital is in crisis. His response marks a renewed focus on crime as a political priority and grounds for increased federal intervention, which could challenge Washington's autonomy and reshape the balance of local and federal power.
The president's order last week to deploy more federal law enforcement also marks a major escalation. Officers from more than a dozen agencies, including the FBI, ICE, DEA and ATF, have already spread across the city.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said multiple arrests were made on Friday, with more than 450 federal officers deployed in the city on Saturday.
The official added the deployment targets “high-traffic tourist areas and known hotspots”, with officers “highly visible”, referencing criticism of previous immigration crackdowns involving masked agents and unmarked vehicles.
The White House has not clarified what legal authority Trump would use to evict people from Washington, where he only controls federal land and buildings.
Since the 1980s, Trump has used crime, especially youth crime in cities, as a political tool. His 1989 call for the death penalty in the Central Park jogger case, involving five black and Latino teens later exonerated, remains one of the most controversial moments of his public life.
Trump is expected to outline further details during a press conference at 10am (2pm GMT) on Monday at the White House.
Reuters
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