President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday directing sweeping federal interventions to combat what the White House calls a “crime emergency” in Washington, D.C.
The order instructs the National Park Service to increase the number of Park Police officers to enhance public safety in Washington, D.C. Additionally, it directs the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia to bring on more prosecutors who will concentrate on tackling violent and property crimes.
The measures represent Trump’s latest escalation in his promise to “take over the horribly run capital of our nation, Washington, D.C., and clean it up, renovate it, and rebuild our capital city so that it is no longer a nightmare of murder and crime, but rather it will become the most beautiful capital anywhere in the world.”
The order creates an online portal for recruiting experienced law enforcement personnel to federal agencies operating in D.C. It also directs the Defense Secretary to establish a specialized D.C. National Guard unit trained for civil disturbances.
Trump’s administration cited recent violence, including the May murders of two embassy staffers and June’s fatal shooting of a Congressional intern near the White House. The White House noted that a Trump administration staffer was “mercilessly beaten by a violent mob” weeks ago.
According to the White House, Washington’s 2024 murder rate of 27.54 per 100,000 residents exceeds rates in Bogota, Mexico City, and Islamabad.
The order instructs Housing and Urban Development officials to investigate crime prevention compliance at D.C. public housing. Transportation officials must inspect federally funded transit services for safety violations.
The Attorney General will request modifications to Metropolitan Police Department procedures from the D.C. mayor to address public safety concerns.
Trump established a D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force in March to restore order through increased law enforcement. The White House claims recent interventions, including National Guard mobilization, have reduced robbery by 46% and carjacking by 83%.
“Just like I took care of the Border, where you had ZERO Illegals coming across last month, from millions the year before, I will take care of our cherished Capital, and we will make it, truly, GREAT AGAIN!” Trump stated.
The President previously described Washington as suffering from “the filth and the decay” during his first return visit since leaving office in 2021.