Washington, D.C., has seen a dramatic drop in crime following President Trump’s decision to place the city’s law enforcement under federal control. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who previously resisted the move, acknowledged an “extreme reduction” in violent crime since the takeover began earlier this month. The crackdown has brought a surge of federal agents and National Guard troops onto city streets, targeting offenders with aggressive enforcement.
According to city data, carjackings have dropped 87%, falling from 31 cases in August 2024 to just 4 this year. Violent crime overall has declined 45%, while homicides are down 38%. Reports of sexual abuse have fallen by 44%, robberies by 62%, and burglaries by nearly 47%. Property crime overall is down 12%, and auto thefts have decreased by 35%. Federal authorities also reported a 20% increase in arrests and a 12% rise in firearm recoveries.
President Trump invoked his authority under the D.C. Home Rule Act on August 11, declaring a crime emergency and assuming control of the Metropolitan Police Department. The action followed months of public concern over rising street crime and frustration with the city’s inability to respond effectively. Federal officials framed the intervention as necessary to restore order and safeguard residents.
The aggressive posture has faced criticism. A Reuters analysis found that nearly half of arrests under the federal surge involved minor offenses, such as marijuana possession and public drinking, raising concerns about proportionality. Some D.C. judges and grand jurors have also pushed back on the prosecutions, citing constitutional questions.
Even with the pushback, the results are undeniable: crime is down sharply, and visible enforcement has reshaped the city’s streets. Bowser herself, while wary of ceding local authority, conceded that the intervention produced results her administration had struggled to achieve.
