Donald Trump has threatened to declare a national emergency in Washington, D.C. in a rant against the mayor over his crime crackdown.
Taking to Truth Social, the president claimed his recent deployment of the National Guard had led to “virtually no crime” in Washington.
But he warned that pushing back against ICE anti-immigration raids in D.C. would see crime “roaring back” and attacked Mayor Muriel Bowser in his latest social media post on Monday.
“The Federal Government, under my auspices as President of the United States of America, has stepped into the complete criminal mess that was Washington, D.C., our Nation’s Capital,” he wrote.
“Because of this, D.C. has gone from one of the most dangerous and murder ridden cities in the U.S.A., and even around the World, to one of the safest – In just a few weeks.
“It has been a beautiful thing to watch but, now, under pressure from the Radical Left Democrats, Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has presided over this violent criminal takeover of our Capital for years, has informed the Federal Government that the Metropolitan Police Department will no longer cooperate with ICE in removing and relocating dangerous illegal aliens.
“If I allowed this to happen, CRIME would come roaring back. To the people and businesses of Washington, D.C., DON’T WORRY, I AM WITH YOU, AND WON’T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. I’ll call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!!”
Trump’s 30-day emergency declaration to federalize the district’s police force expired last week, with the administration celebrating it as a success. The reality is not so clear-cut, as crime was already falling before the president weighed in.
Data shared by the White House said there were more than 2,100 arrests from August 7, when federal law enforcement began their deployment, through September 8.
Metropolitan Police Department figures show that violent crime during the surge was down 39 percent from the same period last year, including a 53 percent drop in homicides, with seven during the surge, compared to 15 during the same timespan in 2024.
Earlier this month, Bowser issued an order requiring ongoing local coordination with the takeover by Trump.
Speaking at a press conference on August 27, the mayor said that carjackings were down 87 percent since the same 20-day period last year.
“We know that when carjackings go down, when use of guns goes down, when homicide or robbery go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer,” she said. “So, this surge has been important to us for that reason.”
Bowser has yet to comment on Trump’s latest remarks.
Several thousand protesters hit the streets this month over the deployment of National Guard troops to “re-establish law, order, and public safety,” after Trump called crime a blight on the capital.
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