President Donald Trump is set to launch federal actions to tackle crime and homelessness in Washington, D.C., including the potential deployment of up to 1,000 National Guard troops. Despite falling violent crime rates, Trump has voiced strong criticism of the city’s public safety and social conditions.
On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump declared, “Washington, D.C. will be LIBERATED today!” He promised to eradicate “Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum,” demanding that the homeless population “move out, IMMEDIATELY,” with government support for relocation “FAR from the Capital.”
He also vowed to imprison offenders where they “rightfully belong.” A White House press conference is expected to share more details.
Federal agencies including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Marshals Service have increased their presence, with about 450 officers patrolling key areas and about 130 FBI agents assisting local police. The National Guard deployment would build on these efforts.
Official data tells a different story: violent crime in D.C. dropped 26% in the first seven months of 2025 compared to last year, with homicides down 12%. From 2023 to 2024, overall violent crime fell 35%. While some neighbourhoods remain problematic, the city is showing steady improvement.
This federal push follows an attack on 19-year-old Edward Coristine, a White House Department of Government Efficiency staffer, who was assaulted during an attempted carjacking.
Trump has also renewed criticism of the Federal Reserve’s $2.5 billion renovation of its historic headquarters, calling it wasteful and urging a review. Fed Chair Jerome Powell defends the project’s necessity amid inflation and security upgrades, though the cost overruns remain politically sensitive.
Mayor Muriel Bowser dismissed Trump’s depiction of D.C. as a “war zone,” calling it “hyperbolic and false,” and voiced concern over National Guard involvement, emphasising their role in national defence rather than local policing.