'Totally out of control': Trump calls for prosecuting minors amid Washington crime concerns; threatens to take federal control
US President
Donald Trump
on Tuesday threatened to place Washington, DC, under federal control, claiming the city's crime is 'totally out of control' and urging that minors as young as 14 be prosecuted as adults.
His comments came the same day the FBI released new data showing a nationwide drop in violent crime.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, 'Crime in Washington, DC, is totally out of control. Local 'youths' and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released.'
While sharing a photo of a critically injured youth from a recent violent incident involving local teenagers, Trump claimed the victim had been 'beaten mercilessly by local thugs,' though he did not provide specific details about the case.
'The Law in DC must be changed to prosecute these 'minors' as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14,' he added.
Trump also suggested that if city leaders fail to act, he would move to federalise the capital. 'They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it's going to happen now! If DC doesn't get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run,' he said.
Trump's remarks directly contradict the FBI's annual crime report, released earlier Tuesday. According to the report, cited by NBC News, violent crime in the US fell by 4.5% in 2024, with significant declines in murder, robbery, rape, and aggravated assault. Property crime and hate crime rates also saw drops compared to 2023.
The report draws from data submitted by over 16,000 law enforcement agencies, covering 95% of the US population.
FBI Assistant Director Timothy Ferguson noted during a media briefing that although crime is down overall, violent and property crimes still occur regularly.
Trump has frequently made crime a central theme in his political messaging, often portraying American cities as lawless. At a campaign event near Detroit last year, he said, 'You can't walk across the street to get a loaf of bread. You get shot, you get mugged, you get raped,' according to NBC News.
While crime remains a contentious political issue, particularly in major urban areas like Washington, DC, recent federal data indicates that overall trends are moving in the opposite direction of Trump's claims.
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