U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro delivered a fiery defense of President Donald J. Trump’s new initiative to restore law and order in the nation’s capital — a plan that includes activating the National Guard and placing the Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal oversight.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Pirro channeled the same sharp, no-nonsense style that made her a household name on Fox News, dismantling liberal narratives that violent crime in D.C. is “not that bad” simply because numbers have dipped slightly.

“It may be down, but the question is always down from what?” Pirro asked in a video posted to X. “If we had the fourth-highest homicide rate in the country two years ago, all of the sudden it goes down, and people want to pat themselves on the back. No way. Talk to any of the crime victims.”

Pirro painted a sobering picture of a city where law-abiding citizens live in fear and criminals feel untouchable.
“I was just at a college a couple of weeks ago, where I had photos of young kids who were victims of homicides, of shootings, and it happens over and over again,” she said. “It’s not OK because it’s down from last year. It’s bad. This is the nation’s capital. This is the shining city on the hill. We’re not going to tolerate it. People are afraid to come to this city.”

The U.S. Attorney stressed that part of the problem lies with D.C.’s lenient laws and political leadership.

“I see too much violent crime being committed by young punks who think that they can get together in gangs and crews and beat the [heck] out of you or anyone else,” Pirro said, according to Fox News. “They don’t care where they are. But they know that we can’t touch them, because the laws are weak. I can’t touch you if you’re 14, 15, 16, 17 years old and you have a gun.”

Pirro blasted the D.C. Council for enabling lawlessness with measures like “no cash bail” and rules that prevent prosecutors from charging juvenile offenders for serious gun crimes. “We need to recognize that the people who matter are the law-abiding citizens. And it starts today,” she declared.

According to WTTG, Pirro said Trump’s crackdown sends a clear warning to criminals who have “been emboldened in this area” by years of soft enforcement. “Today is the beginning,” she said. “We’re telling them now — we’re watching you. We know who you are, and we’re going to prosecute you, and we’re going to change the laws to make sure you can come within my jurisdiction.”

Pirro also underscored her commitment to supporting law enforcement, noting that her office is already prosecuting hundreds of cases for assaults on police. “That’s what I’m here to do. That’s what I will continue to do, and the police need to understand that I have their back,” she said.

When asked about critics of the crackdown, Pirro was blunt: “I’m not here to satisfy people’s feelings if they feel bad. I am here to prosecute crime.”