National Guard troops have begun arriving in Washington DC after President Donald Trump declared a “public safety emergency” on Monday. His order sends 800 troops into the capital and places the city’s police department under direct federal control — a move no president has taken before.
Trump says the deployment is necessary to tackle crime, but city officials and crime statistics paint a different picture. While there was a rise in homicides in 2023, numbers have been falling since then, with violent crime now at its lowest level in three decades.
Mayor Muriel Bowser has pushed back against the president’s claims, saying the city doesn’t face the level of lawlessness he describes. She says her focus now is on making the most of the additional officers, regardless of political disagreements.
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Mixed Reactions from Residents
Locals in Washington DC are divided over Trump’s plan. Some welcome tougher measures on crime, while others worry it will increase tension without addressing deeper issues like housing costs and a lack of mental health resources.
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Homelessness Groups Push Back
Advocates for unhoused residents say they’ve seen progress in recent years, with homelessness down nearly 20% since 2020. They argue that moving people out of the city won’t solve the problem — it will just shift it to other communities that may be less prepared to help.
Crime Data Tells a Different Story
Official police statistics show violent crime dropped sharply between 2023 and 2024 and continues to decline in 2025. Robberies are down by more than 25%, and homicides have fallen 12% compared to the same time last year.
While the FBI and DC police measure crime differently, both sets of data show the same trend — crime is going down.
The Legal Move Behind the Takeover
Trump is using a rarely-invoked clause in the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to take control of the city’s police department. The law allows a president to step in during emergencies, but limits direct control to 30 days unless Congress approves an extension.