Trump escalates crime rhetoric ahead of Washington crackdown announcement

Straits Times

3 days ago

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Officers from over a dozen agencies, including the FBI, ICE, DEA and ATF, have already spread across Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has spent days escalating his rhetoric on crime in Washington, calling the US capital 'totally out of control' and ordering a federal law enforcement surge ahead of a news conference on Aug 11 to outline a sweeping crackdown.
On Aug 10, Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social: '
The Homeless have to move out , IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don't have to move out. We're going to put you in jail where you belong.'
The Democratic mayor of Washington, Ms Muriel Bowser, pushed back on Mr Trump's claims, saying the city is 'not experiencing a crime spike' and highlighting that violent crime has fallen to a 30-year low.
Mr Trump called Ms Bowser 'a good person who has tried' but said she has been given many chances while crime numbers continue to worsen.
Violent crime fell 26 per cent in the first seven months of 2025 and overall crime dropped 7 per cent, according to the city's police department.
But gun violence remains an issue. In 2023, Washington had the third-highest gun homicide rate among American cities with populations over 500,000, according to gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety.
Over the past week, Mr Trump has intensified his messaging, demanding the swift eviction of homeless residents and vowing to jail offenders. He has raised the prospect of stripping the city of its local autonomy and signalled a possible full federal takeover.
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The Trump administration is also preparing to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, a US official told Reuters, a controversial tactic that Mr Trump
used recently in Los Angeles to respond to immigration protests over the objections of local officials.
Mr Trump has not made a final decision, the official said, adding that the number of troops and the role they will play are still being determined.
The District of Columbia, established in 1790, operates under the Home Rule Act, which gives Congress ultimate authority but allows residents to elect a mayor and city council. Mr Trump said last week lawyers are examining how to overturn the law, a move that will likely require Congress to revoke it and him to sign off.
Mr Trump has cited a recent assault on a federal staffer and viral videos of youth crime to argue the nation's capital is in crisis.
His response marks a renewed focus on crime as a political priority and grounds for increased federal intervention, which may
challenge Washington's autonomy and reshape the balance of local and federal power.
The president's order last week to deploy more federal law enforcement also marks a major escalation. Officers from over a dozen agencies, including the FBI, ICE, DEA and ATF, have already spread across the city.
A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said multiple arrests were made on Aug 8, with over 450 federal officers deployed throughout the city on Aug 9.
The official added the deployment targets 'high-traffic tourist areas and known hotspots', with officers 'highly visible', referencing criticism of previous immigration crackdowns involving masked agents and unmarked vehicles.
The White House has not clarified what legal authority Mr Trump can use to evict people from Washington, where he only controls federal land and buildings.
Since the 1980s, Mr Trump has used crime, especially youth crime in cities, as a political tool. His 1989 call for the death penalty in the Central Park jogger case, involving five Black and Latino teens later exonerated, remains one of the most controversial moments of his public life. REUTERS