Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin has admitted he does not wear a seatbelt while driving in Washington DC, claiming it allows him to exit his vehicle quickly in the event of a carjacking. In an interview with Fox News, Mullin said he violates local traffic laws by not buckling up, citing safety concerns despite data showing a decline in car thefts and carjackings in the capital.
Mullin’s comments align with rhetoric from Donald Trump, who has deployed National Guard troops to DC and taken over the Metropolitan Police Department, arguing crime is at record levels. Trump claimed murders in 2023 reached the highest rate in 25 years and that DC’s homicide rate exceeds that of cities like Bogotá and Mexico City. White House data shows a 2024 homicide rate of 27.5 per 100,000 residents in DC, higher than several Latin American capitals.
However, official statistics paint a different picture. Homicides in DC fell from 274 in 2023 to 187 in 2024, and as of August 12, 2025, there have been 100 homicides, slightly down from 112 the previous year. Carjackings also declined, with 188 reported through August 9, 2025, compared to 299 in the same period of 2024. Car theft dropped 25% from 2023 to 2024, according to police data.
Overall crime in Washington has decreased in 2025, mirroring trends in other major US cities. Mullin, who praised Trump’s actions, said he does wear a seatbelt in other jurisdictions but refuses to do so in Democrat-controlled cities. His remarks have drawn criticism for disregarding safety laws and misrepresenting crime trends.
