Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard in Washington DC and proposed taking control of its police force, describing the capital as “lawless” and “one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world”. The president vowed to rid the city of “crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor and worse” and demanded that unhoused people leave or face eviction.
However, experts say Trump’s portrayal of crime in Washington DC is rooted in false and misleading claims. While the city experienced a sharp increase in homicides in 2023, with 274 killings compared to 203 the previous year, crime trends have since changed dramatically. Data from the Metropolitan Police Department and US attorney’s office shows that total violent crime in 2024 was down 35% from the prior year, marking the lowest rate in over 30 years. Homicides declined by 32%, robberies by 39%, armed carjackings by 53%, and assaults with a dangerous weapon by 27%.
Adam Gelb, president of the Council on Criminal Justice, noted an “unmistakable and large drop in violence” since the summer of 2023. The group reported that DC’s homicide rate fell 19% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Mayor Muriel Bowser responded to Trump’s comments, stating: “Any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false.”
Trump’s remarks followed an incident involving a former staffer who was reportedly attacked by a group of young people. The president called for a more aggressive law enforcement response, saying: “They fight back, until you knock the hell out of them. Because it’s the only language they understand.” However, data shows that DC police have made roughly 900 youth arrests this year, nearly 20% fewer than the same period last year. Insha Rahman of the Vera Institute of Justice highlighted that community-based programs have been effective in reducing youth violence without expanding police operations or harsher punishments.
