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President Donald Trump has announced plans to send National Guard troops to the nation’s capital to address what he perceives as a crime problem. He stated that the federal government will take control of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department and that “I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse.” Approximately 800 troops will be deployed.
However, according to FBI and Washington Metro Police Department statistics, crime has been declining in D.C. Overall violent crime is down by 35% since 2023, reaching a 30-year low. The Justice Department reported that:
– Homicides have decreased by 32%
– Robberies are down by 39%
– Armed carjackings have fallen by 53%
– Assaults with a dangerous weapon have dropped by 27%
Additionally, Trump wants to remove homeless people from the district. “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital,” he posted on Truth Social.
Trump is considering expanding this federal crackdown on crime to other cities such as New York, Baltimore, Chicago, and Oakland, though no further details were provided.
[Sources: USA TODAY Network reporting and research, Reuters, CrimeData DC, FBI Crime Data Explorer]
