This week, the Trump administration released a video highlighting nighttime operations in Washington, DC. The focus was on the initiative to “Make D.C. Safe Again.”
In a post titled “Nighttime Routine: Operation Make D.C. Safe Again Edition,” the White House shared footage of law enforcement arresting suspected criminals throughout the city.
These measures come after President Trump announced on Monday the enactment of section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. This move places the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under federal supervision and activates the National Guard to tackle crime more effectively.
During a press briefing, Trump addressed reporters, acknowledging their likely liberal leanings but emphasizing the public’s desire for safety: “You don’t want to get mugged, raped, shot, or killed,” he stated.
He expressed that everyone should feel secure leaving their homes and shopping freely, noting that the current murder rate in Washington exceeds that of cities like Bogotá and Mexico City, known for their violence.
“Car thefts have doubled in the past five years, and carjackings have more than tripled. In 2023, murders have reached what might be a record high, with no clear precedent,” Trump explained. He remarked that the capital is now plagued by violent gangs and criminals, chaotic youth groups, individuals under the influence, and homelessness, vowing, “We will not allow it to continue.”
Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund offered further perspective on the reality of an issue during an appearance on – News Daily this week, noting that the D.C. homicide rate is “five to six times that of any other major city in the United States.”
He added that — despite the radical left’s freakouts — this type of task force is nothing new.
“We did this in the early ’90s, when I was with D.C. police, we were able to drive down homicide rates. When Chief Lanier was chief, think about 2010 to 2014, we had a homicide rate that was maybe right around 100, 170 a year. Now 2023, you got 274 homicides. So you had a significant increase,” he explained.
“So when people talk about, ‘Oh, there’s a big drop,’ there’s a drop from 2023 to 2024, but it’s still significant — double what we had in around 2010,” Sund added.
Meanwhile, leftists have spoken out against Trump’s mission to address crime and homelessness in the nation’s capital. Failed vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz’s daughter, for instance, ranted about Trump’s decision, describing it as “bitch baby, wussy, scaredy cat behavior.”
