President Donald Trump joined law enforcement officers and National Guard members on the streets of Washington, D.C., Thursday evening, highlighting his administration’s federal intervention in the city and its push to combat escalating crime.
Addressing a crowd of officers from multiple agencies and National Guard personnel, Trump praised the initiative’s impact, saying, “We’ve had some incredible results and results have come out and it’s like a different place. It’s like a different city.”
“The numbers are down like we wouldn’t believe, but we believe it,” he added.
This comes as Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) confirmed to Fox News Digital on Thursday that the city has gone more than a week without a homicide, coinciding with Trump’s federal takeover.
Speaking to the assembled officers and troops, Trump emphasized the administration’s commitment: “When I look at you people, I understand why. Because there’s no games, right? We’re not playing games. We’re going to make it safe, and we’re going to then go on to other places. But we’re going to stay here for a while. We want to make this absolutely perfect. It’s our capital.”
While commending law enforcement and National Guard troops for their work, Trump announced plans for improvements in the city’s infrastructure. “We’re going back to Congress for some money, and we’re going to redo a lot of the pavement, a lot of the medians, a lot of the graffiti is all coming off real fast, it’s going to come down real fast,” he said.
He also pledged to revamp Washington’s parks and public spaces, quipping, “It’ll look like Augusta. It’ll look like, more importantly, Trump National Golf Club.”
“We’re going to be rebuilding all of your parks, and it’s going to happen fast. It’s going to go up like a miracle,” Trump continued. “So you do the job of safety and I’ll get this place fixed up physically. And we’re going to be so proud of it at the end of six months, but let’s say at the end of a year, this place will be maxed out in terms of beauty.”
Trump initially deployed 800 D.C. National Guard troops on Aug. 11 as part of his effort to reduce crime in the city. Since then, National Guard personnel from Ohio, West Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee have been added to support the administration’s initiatives.
He revealed his plans to join law enforcement and National Guard members in an interview with radio host Todd Starnes Thursday. “I’m going to be going out tonight with the police and with the military, of course,” he said.
Trump’s visit comes shortly after Vice President JD Vance met with National Guard troops at Union Station on Wednesday.
“We are seeing really substantial effects because these guys are busting their a–,” Vance said.
“Right here in Union Station, you have vagrants, you have drug addicts, you have the chronically homeless, you have the mentally ill who harass, who threatened violence, who attacked families,” Vance continued. “And they’ve done it for far too long. This should be a monument to American greatness.”
Under the 1973 Home Rule Act, temporary federal oversight of the Metropolitan Police Department is allowed in emergencies for up to 30 days. Extensions beyond this period require Congressional approval. However, the Home Rule Act does not impose similar limits on D.C. National Guard deployments.
Vance suggested Wednesday that extensions could be possible depending on progress in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Washington officials filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s federalization of local police Friday.
“By illegally declaring a takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its temporary, limited authority under the law,” Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote on X. “This is the gravest threat to Home Rule DC has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it.
