Trump says he plans to announce the DC Crime Initiative on August 11, despite the sharp decline in violent crime in the country’s capital.
Trump sends federal agents to DC amid youth crime concerns
President Donald Trump deployed federal agents to DC and called for minors to be prosecuted as adults amid criminal concerns in his administration.
Last year marked the lowest level of violent crime in Washington, D.C. for over 30 years, President Donald Trump has raised concerns about the city’s public safety and bullying plans to target the homeless population as well.
“We intend to make our capital safer and more beautiful than before,” Trump told The Truth Society on August 10. “The homeless must leave immediately.
In a series of social media posts, Trump announced his initiative on August 11, adding that he would address city crime and “general physical renovations and conditions of once beautiful and sustained capital.”
The president threatened to “take control of the federal government” in Washington, D.C. in an August 5 post complaining about crime. The post comes after Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old former employee of the Government Efficiency Bureau, known as “Big Ball,” was assaulted for an attempted carjacking.
“Crime in Washington, D.C. is completely out of control,” Trump said on August 5, adding, “If this continues, I will put my strength into my power and federalize the city.”
A few days later, Trump ordered an order that increased the presence of federal law enforcement in DC Streets, led by U.S. Park Police officers, and that includes officers from around 12 other agencies.
Violent crime fell by 35% in DC in 2024, according to data compiled by DC Metropolitan Police. The 2024 figures marked the lowest level of violent crime in “over 30 years,” the District of Columbia’s U.S. Lawyers’ Office said in a news release.
Murders fell by 32%, robbers fell by 39%, and armed carjacks fell by 53%.
Police data show that violent crime has declined so far in 2025. Murder and robbery have fallen by 12% and 28% respectively, but overall violent crime will fall by 26% until August 8th, when compared to the same period in 2024.
Police data show that it surged in DC in 2023, and rose from 203 to 203 in 203. This is the lowest level as the city had 166 murders in 2019. There were 99 murders in 2025, compared to 112 in the same period last year.
Trump has long denigrated Washington, D.C., which is heavily democratically leaning. He also surfaced the district’s governance takeover in February in comments to reporters, complaining about crime and homelessness.
Donation: Joey Garrison, USA Today
