President Donald Trump has ordered a significant increase in the presence of federal law enforcement officers across Washington, D.C., in a move aimed at addressing what he described as persistent crime issues in the nation’s capital. The deployment will initially last seven days, with the possibility of an extension, according to a White House statement.
The order follows a recent assault on Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old staff member of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who was attacked during an attempted carjacking. Trump referenced the incident on social media, calling Coristine “brave” and tying the attack to broader concerns about safety in the city.
The enhanced security operation will focus on high-traffic tourist areas and other identified “hotspots.” Officers involved in the effort will be visibly identified and drawn from several federal agencies, led by the U.S. Park Police. Participating agencies include the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Marshals Service, Amtrak Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
“Washington, D.C. is an amazing city, but it has been plagued by violent crime for far too long,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “President Trump has directed an increased presence of federal law enforcement to protect innocent citizens. There will be no safe harbor for violent criminals in D.C.”
The announcement comes in the wake of an executive order signed by Trump in March creating the “Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” a federal initiative aimed at enhancing public safety in the District.
While the White House cited recent violent incidents, including the May killing of two Israeli embassy staffers and the assault on Coristine, crime statistics from the Metropolitan Police Department show a decline in violent crime in 2025. Overall violent crime is down 26% from the previous year, and homicides have decreased by 12%.
Despite the downward trend in crime, Trump has repeatedly criticized D.C. leadership and recently threatened to take federal control of the city if local authorities fail to improve security. On August 5, he wrote on Truth Social: “If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City.”
Such a takeover would require congressional approval. Washington, D.C. operates under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973, which grants local governance through an elected mayor and city council. However, Republican lawmakers Rep. Andy Ogles (Tenn.) and Sen. Mike Lee (Utah) have introduced legislation to repeal the Home Rule Act, potentially returning full control of the District to Congress.
Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office has not commented on the new federal deployment.
