The Swamp may not be the most dangerous city in the United States, but it’s up there. Washington DC is certainly far more crime-ridden and violent than the US average, which, any way you cut it, is not a good look for the nation’s seat of government. JFK once joked that Washington was the perfect blend of northern charm and southern efficiency: nowadays it’s truer to say that it blends the hometown appeal of LA with the safety of Chicago.
President Donald Trump said he would deploy National Guard troops to Washington, DC and place the city’s police department under federal control, launching an unprecedented effort to take charge of the nation’s capital.
“This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back,” Mr Trump said during a news conference at the White House, where he was flanked by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney-General Pam Bondi and other senior administration officials.
Mr Trump said roughly 800 DC National Guard troops would be deployed to the city. He added that he would call in active-duty military troops if needed and suggested he might attempt to take similar action in other US cities.
Naturally, the legacy media are trotting all their best, lying, talking points.
Violent crime in the city was down 35 per cent last year from 2023, Justice Department data show, the lowest in more than 30 years. The data showed a decline in homicides, robberies, armed carjackings and assaults with a dangerous weapon.
Or, put it another way: even at its ‘safest’ in 30 years, Washington is still more deadly than most US cities.
But crime remains a problem in the city, according to local officials. DC has a higher per capita homicide rate than many other US cities.
“You want to have safety in the streets. You want to be able to leave your apartment or your house where you live and feel safe in going to a store to buy a newspaper or buy something, and you don’t have that now,” Mr Trump said, adding he was going to “get rid of slums”. The president has escalated his attacks on the city in recent days, saying mayor Muriel Bowser hadn’t done enough to control crime and homelessness. He also increased federal law enforcement’s presence in the city.
Ms Bowser’s office did not respond to requests for comment. Brian Schwalb, DC’s elected Attorney-General, said his office was considering its options “and will do what’s necessary to protect the rights and safety of district residents”.
It should surprise no one to learn that both Bowser and Schwalb are Democrats. After all, of the US’s 30 most dangerous cities, 27 are run by Democrats. It’s called the “Blue City Murder Problem”. It’s almost like there’s a direct link between Democrat ‘defund the police’ policies and crime. Whodathunkit?
The president said he planned to call on congress to take action to end cashless bail, which he has said contributes to an increase in crime in cities. Illinois, New York and Washington, DC have eliminated or limited the use of cash bail, which proponents say makes the criminal justice system more equitable.
By ‘equitable’, they mean rigging the scales of justice so that the 13 per cent of the population responsible for 50 per cent of the crime get to walk free 100 per cent of the time.
Even if Washington isn’t the worst Democrat city in America, it’s the one that the federal government can step over Democrat state governments and city officials and take a direct hand in.
Under the Home Rule Act, which established the district’s governing body, congress has the power to challenge laws passed by the Washington city council and must approve the budget, although it rarely gets involved. The President can deploy the district’s National Guard, but has limited ability to intervene in day-to-day matters […]
National Guard troops are expected to play a supporting role, helping law enforcement with administrative tasks, logistics and transportation, army spokesman Colonel David Butler said. There are no plans to station military police on federal property. Troops won’t carry arms, but their weapons will be close by, Colonel Butler said.
The administration is also deploying hundreds of federal agents throughout the district, including more than 100 from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as part of its crackdown, a person familiar with the matter said.
No wonder the Swamp Monsters are getting nervous.
