Trump Now Announces New Plan To Tackle Crime in D.C.

On August 11, 2025, President Donald Trump announced plans to place the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under federal control, vowing to eradicate what he described as the city’s “slums” as part of a broader anti-crime initiative.

During a press conference at the White House, Trump highlighted a recent carjacking attempt against a former DOGE staffer, painting the nation’s capital as a hub of “complete and total lawlessness.”

The move, reported by Raw Story, has sparked fierce debate over crime statistics, federal overreach, and the socioeconomic implications of Trump’s rhetoric, particularly his use of the term “slums.”

Speaking in the White House Press Briefing Room, Trump declared, “We’re not going to let it happen,” emphasizing his intent to address violent crime and “get rid of the slums” in Washington, D.C.

He argued that the city’s neighborhoods, “where they live,” have deteriorated into unsafe areas, citing incidents like the carjacking attempt as evidence of escalating violence.

“It’s becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness,” Trump stated, as quoted by Raw Story, while threatening to deploy federal troops if local efforts fail to curb crime.

The announcement builds on Trump’s campaign promises from 2023 to 2024, where he repeatedly described D.C. as a “dangerous, dirty city” in need of federal intervention, according to Yahoo News.

Trump’s focus on “slums” drew particular attention, with the president acknowledging the term’s lack of political correctness but insisting, “We’re getting rid of them. I know it’s not politically correct.

You’ll say, oh, so terrible.”

The statement, reported by Fox News and Raw Story, refers to areas Trump claims are plagued by homelessness and crime, though he provided no specific locations.

This rhetoric echoes his earlier demands for D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to clear homeless encampments, warning that the federal government would intervene if she failed to act, as noted in a separate Raw Story article.

Crime Statistics Contradict Trump’s Claims

Trump’s portrayal of Washington, D.C. as a crime-ridden city was directly challenged during his press conference.

MSNBC and CNN displayed graphics showing a significant decline in D.C. crime rates, with violent crime down 26% and homicides down 12% in the city, compared to a national violent crime drop of 4.5%, according to Raw Story.

CNN highlighted a 35% decrease in D.C.’s murder rate from the previous year, undermining Trump’s assertions of rampant lawlessness.

These statistics, sourced from city data, suggest that D.C. has made measurable progress in reducing crime, contrary to the president’s narrative.

The discrepancy drew criticism from analysts and Democratic leaders.

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called Trump’s federal takeover plan “political theater,” arguing that it ignores D.C.’s crime reduction achievements, as reported by The Hill.

Durbin made these remarks during a press conference with Texas House Democrats, who were addressing unrelated redistricting issues.

Posts on X also reflected skepticism, with users like @BriefcaseMike sarcastically noting that Trump’s depiction of D.C. as a “violent hellhole” could deter tourism, while @InspireSaga highlighted Trump’s claim that crime is “totally out of control” as a justification for federal intervention.

D.C.’s Political and Social Context

Trump’s announcement comes amid longstanding tensions between the president and D.C.’s leadership, particularly Mayor Bowser, a Democrat who has clashed with Trump before.

In 2020, Bowser renamed a protest area near the White House “Black Lives Matter Plaza” after federal forces cleared racial justice demonstrators, an action that sparked public feuding, per Raw Story.

D.C.’s unique status as a non-state entity, lacking full voting rights in Congress, makes it vulnerable to federal oversight, a concern raised by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Norton told NBC News that Trump’s second term poses risks to D.C.’s limited self-governance, noting his campaign promise to “take over” the city as a “filthy and crime-ridden embarrassment.”

The reference to “slums” has also drawn scrutiny for its socioeconomic implications.

A Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments report cited by Raw Story noted a 12% increase in homelessness across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia since 2023, with 1,078 additional unhoused individuals.

Trump’s focus on clearing encampments, combined with his slum rhetoric, has alarmed advocates for the homeless, who argue it stigmatizes vulnerable populations.

A Raw Story article reported outrage among analysts over Trump’s warnings to D.C.’s unhoused, with some calling his language dehumanizing.

Implications for D.C. and Federal Policy

Trump’s push for federal control over D.C.’s police and his vow to eliminate slums signal a broader agenda to reshape the capital, aligning with his campaign narrative of restoring order.

However, the move raises legal and ethical questions, particularly given D.C.’s progress in reducing crime and its lack of statehood protections.

Bloomberg reported that Trump described his plan as a “test” for federal takeovers of other cities like New York, Baltimore, and Oakland, suggesting a potential expansion of this approach.

The controversy also ties into Trump’s broader political strategy, with posts on X indicating support from some followers who view federal intervention as necessary.

For example, @drzaibkhan786 and @zhangkuancheng echoed Trump’s claims of uncontrolled crime, advocating for federal authority to prosecute violent offenders as adults.

Critics, however, warn that such actions could erode local governance and exacerbate tensions in a city that voted overwhelmingly for Democrats in recent elections—92.15% for Joe Biden in 2020 and 92.5% for Kamala Harris in 2024, per NBC News.

As Trump moves forward with his plan, D.C. officials, including Mayor Bowser, have pledged to defend local autonomy while expressing willingness to work with the administration.

The debate over slums, crime, and federal control will likely intensify, with implications for D.C.’s governance and the national conversation on urban policy.

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