Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., as part of his crackdown on crime and homelessness.
U.S. officials told Reuters and NBC Washington that Trump had not made a final decision on the deployment yet.
The number of troops that could be involved and their exact roles are still being decided, they added.
Highlights
- Donald Trump is considering deploying National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to crack down on crime and homelessness.
- Trump described Washington, D.C., as one of the most “dangerous” cities in the world, and said crime rates are rising.
- A press conference will be held on Monday morning to discuss Trump's plans.
Donald Trump is considering deploying the National Guard to Washington, D.C.
Image credits: David McNew/Getty Images
It comes after Trump announced a Monday morning press conference to detail his plans for tackling crime in the capital and for its “beautification.”
He has described Washington, D.C., as one of the most “dangerous” cities in the world, and said crime rates are rising.
However, violent crime was down 26% in the first seven months of 2025 compared to 2024, according to the city’s police department figures. Overall, crime was down about 7%.
Experts caution that official crime figures, in any city, may not capture all incidents due to underreporting by victims and differences in how crimes are classified.
Image credits: The White House
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump said his plan would work similarly to his crackdown on immigration at the border.
“The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital,” one post read.
“The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong. It’s all going to happen very fast, just like the Border.”
“Be prepared! There will be no ‘MR. NICE GUY.’ We want our Capital BACK.”
Image credits: Donald J Trump
Another post provided more detail on what will be discussed at Monday’s press conference, to be held at 10 a.m. EST.
“It will not only involve ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation’s Capital, but will also be about Cleanliness and the General Physical Renovation and Condition of our once beautiful and well maintained Capital,” Trump wrote.
“The Mayor of D.C., Muriel Bowser, is a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the Crime Numbers get worse, and the City only gets dirtier and less attractive,” he added.
“Before the tents, squalor, filth, and Crime, it was the most beautiful Capital in the World. It will soon be that again.”
Bowser has disagreed with Trump’s assertion that there is a crime spike and said that after an Oval Office meeting weeks ago, he is “very aware” of federal law enforcement working with the city.
Trump claims there’s been a rise in violent crime across the city
Image credits: Donald J Trump
“It is true that we had a terrible spike in crime in 2023, but this is not 2023,” Bowser said on MSNBC’s The Weekend. “We have spent over the last two years driving down violent crime in this city, driving it down to a 30-year low.”
Unlike in L.A., where Trump recently deployed the National Guard in response to anti-ICE protests, Trump has control of the National Guard in Washington, D.C.
D.C. is a federal district and has no governor, so the National Guard reports directly to the U.S. president.
This means that Trump can deploy the guard without the mayor’s consent, but to federalize the whole city, it is likely Congress would need to repeal the Home Rule Act of 1973, which gives the city some power to govern itself.
Trump’s press conference comes after a staffer in his administration was attacked while trying to stop an alleged carjacking.
Edward Coristine, known as ‘Big Balls’ due to his LinkedIn handle, was attacked by 10 juveniles near Dupont Circle around 3 a.m. on Sunday, August 3.
The 19-year-old, who played a key role in DOGE and now works for the Social Security Administration, said he was with a woman when he heard a group of juveniles make a comment about stealing their car.
His attack was shared on social media by Trump and Coristine’s former boss, Elon Musk.
Image credits: Donald J Trump
Over the weekend, Trump authorized a federal law enforcement crime crackdown in D.C., according to the Washington Post.
Two people familiar with the matter told the outlet that 120 FBI agents were deployed during overnight shifts to assist local law enforcement in preventing carjackings and violent crime.
A White House official further said that the Secret Service and the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division have also been directed to launch special patrols in D.C.
“Agents from the FBI Washington Field Office continue to participate in the increased federal law enforcement presence in D.C., which includes assisting our law enforcement partners,” the FBI said in a statement.