Trump Threatens Full Takeover of DC After Hitting Streets With Police, Guard
President Donald J. Trump took to the streets of Washington, D.C., Thursday evening, walking alongside law enforcement officers and National Guard troops as part of his unprecedented federal crackdown on violent crime in the nation’s capital.
Speaking with reporters and thanking assembled personnel from multiple agencies, Trump declared the effort a success.
“We’ve had some incredible results and results have come out and it’s like a different place. It’s like a different city,” Trump said, according to Fox News. “The numbers are down like we wouldn’t believe, but we believe it.”
On Truth Social, Trump celebrated what he called a “miracle turnaround,” while accusing Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser of downplaying crime levels.
“Washington, D.C. is SAFE AGAIN! The crowds are coming back, the spirit is high, and our D.C. National Guard and Police are doing a fantastic job. They are out in force, and are NOT PLAYING GAMES!!! As bad as it sounds to say, there were no murders this week for the first time in memory. Mayor Muriel Bowser must immediately stop giving false and highly inaccurate crime figures, or bad things will happen, including a complete and total Federal takeover of the City! Washington D.C. will soon be great again!!!” Trump posted.
Metropolitan Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that the city had gone more than a week without a homicide — a streak coinciding with Trump’s August 11 federal intervention. The President deployed 800 National Guard troops as part of the initiative, later bolstered by Guard units from Ohio, West Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Addressing the troops and officers Thursday night, Trump emphasized his plans to remain in D.C. until safety is fully restored:
“We’re not playing games. We’re going to make it safe, and we’re going to then go on to other places. But we’re going to stay here for a while. We want to make this absolutely perfect. It’s our capital.”
Beyond law enforcement, Trump announced sweeping “beautification” projects as part of his federal oversight — including resurfacing roads, removing graffiti, and refurbishing parks.
“We’re going back to Congress for some money, and we’re going to redo a lot of the pavement, a lot of the medians. A lot of the graffiti is all coming off real fast,” he said. “At the end of six months, maybe a year, this place will be maxed out in terms of beauty.”
Trump previewed his ride-along in a Thursday interview with radio host Todd Starnes, saying, “I’m going to be going out tonight with the police and with the military, of course.” His visit came one day after Vice President JD Vance toured Union Station to meet with deployed Guard troops.
Vance praised the impact of the crackdown:
“We are seeing really substantial effects because these guys are busting their a–,” Vance said Wednesday. “Right here in Union Station, you have vagrants, you have drug addicts, you have the chronically homeless, you have the mentally ill who harass, who threatened violence, who attacked families. And they’ve done it for far too long. This should be a monument to American greatness.”
With early signs showing crime dropping sharply under Trump’s direct intervention, the President has suggested the initiative could serve as a model for other Democrat-run cities plagued by lawlessness.