President Donald Trump is considering sending as many as 1,000 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to help fight crime. Officials say he could announce his decision as early as Monday, but no final orders have been signed yet.
Trump has often criticized crime and homelessness in the nation’s capital. On Truth Social, he called D.C. “one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world” and promised it would soon become “one of the safest.”
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser disagrees, saying violent crime is actually going down, based on city and Justice Department data. She also questioned whether the National Guard would be the best way to fight crime, suggesting the federal government could instead help by hiring more prosecutors and filling long-vacant judge positions in the city’s courts.
Bowser cannot activate the Guard herself, but she can request it from the Pentagon. She said she has spoken with Trump several times about crime and expects his announcement may include sending more federal law enforcement into neighborhoods for longer periods.
The idea of sending the Guard comes after an attempted carjacking last week involving a former Department of Government Efficiency staffer. Two 15-year-olds were arrested, and police are searching for more suspects. Following the attack, Trump threatened to take over control of D.C. from local leaders, a move that would require Congress to change the city’s Home Rule Act of 1973 — something that would likely face strong opposition.
On Friday night, federal agencies — including the FBI, Secret Service, and U.S. Marshals — already sent more than 120 officers to help D.C. police.
Bowser says the president can take greater control over D.C.’s police under certain conditions, but those conditions are not currently met. “We are not experiencing a spike in crime,” she said. “Our crime numbers are going down.”
