Former US President Donald Trump has publicly denounced a shocking and violent broad-daylight attack on a veteran crime reporter in Washington DC, using the incident to launch a scathing critique of the city's leadership and spiralling crime rates.
The victim, identified as Kevin Lewis, a respected crime correspondent for Fox 5 DC, was ambushed while walking near the city's Union Market district at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday. The assailants reportedly knocked him to the ground, stole his belongings, and fled the scene, leaving him injured.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump expressed his outrage, drawing a direct line between the attack and the current state of the nation's capital. "This is what happens when cities are poorly run and criminals are empowered," he wrote, "Our great reporters can't even do their jobs safely. A disgrace!"
This incident is not isolated. Official crime data reveals a troubling surge in violent crime across Washington DC, with robberies seeing a particularly sharp increase of over 60% compared to the previous year. The attack on a journalist who routinely covers such crimes has added a layer of grim irony to the city's ongoing public safety crisis.
Local police have confirmed they are actively investigating the assault and robbery but have yet to make any arrests. The department has appealed to the public for any information that could lead to identifying the suspects.
The attack has ignited a fierce debate on social media and among political commentators, with many echoing Trump's concerns about urban crime and policing policies. It highlights the increasingly fraught environment in major American cities and the political weaponisation of law and order ahead of the next election cycle.
