WASHINGTON — President Trump’s takeover of Washington, DC, has put lots of of federal brokers and Nationwide Guard troops on the streets of the capital to scrub up crime — and a variety of residents and enterprise homeowners mentioned they’re noticing that issues really feel safer already.
“All my workers, together with me, we really feel way more protected, and even our clients really feel actually glad once they stroll into our retailer,” Indu Bhatia, who runs a liquor retailer half a mile from the White Home, advised The Put up.
Bhatia mentioned her retailer was robbed so many occasions they needed to sink piles of money into renovations to extend safety.
“All we will do as a small enterprise proprietor is shield your self,” she mentioned.
It’s not simply concerning the Nationwide Guard and federal brokers on the streets, she mentioned — Trump additionally took over the Metropolitan Police Division, for the higher.
“I believe the native cops have been doing the job, absolutely, higher,” Bhatia added.
Washington has lengthy been one in every of America’s most violent main cities — with a homicide fee that outstrips Chicago and is almost seven occasions larger than New York Metropolis.
Violence has been trending down up to now this 12 months, however sure classes of crime that have an effect on on a regular basis Washingtonians have skyrocketed because the pre-pandemic period.
Carjackings surged 241% between 2019 and 2024 and car thefts have been up 143%.
The homicide fee — although down from pandemic highs — remains to be 12% larger than it was in 2019.
Supporters of Trump’s transfer say they’re hoping it may assist clear up the town.
Mike, a 22-year-old Johns Hopkins College scholar hanging out within the close by Federal Triangle neighborhood, mentioned the federal takeover of the DC police power “exhibits a renewed curiosity by the Trump administration to maneuver round sources and perhaps sort out the issue otherwise.”
He mentioned he’s talked to some of the Nationwide Guard troops stationed across the metropolis, and that they’re “fairly good guys.”
One Nationwide Guardsman stationed close to the Navy Memorial, after getting a fist bump from a supportive native, mentioned they’ve seen a ton of assist from locals.
“We’ve had lots of people saying ‘I’m glad you’re right here doing what you’re doing — a variety of fist-bumps and selfies,” he mentioned.
Mahesh, 26, a authorities worker who commutes to DC from Maryland, mentioned he’s seen speedier response occasions from cops.
“Just lately I went to the White Home and noticed somebody had left a bag exterior and instantly a cop went on the market and was asking folks whose bag it was. [The police] are very alert and I really feel prefer it’s very safe,” he mentioned.
“I believe Trump is doing proper caring for the town,” he added.
One DC courts worker mentioned he’s seen an uptick in high quality of life expenses flowing into the courthouse.
“I’ve all the time stored my head on a swivel. For some folks it might be a change, however so far as my job the one remark is we’re getting increasingly crimes coming into the courthouse,” he mentioned.
“There’s a powerful risk the crackdown has led to extra of these crimes ending up in courtroom.”
The nation’s capital snapped a virtually unprecedented 12-day streak and not using a homicide Tuesday, however crime stats have been down throughout the board since Trump intervened, in keeping with the DC Police Union.
In an X publish Monday, the union mentioned within the final 14 days complete crime is down 11% citywide, with sharp reductions throughout the board together with robberies (-42%), assaults with a lethal weapon (-13%), carjacking (-85%), automobile theft (-24%), violent crime (-25%) and property crime (-10%).
One DC Metro employee mentioned he had blended emotions concerning the troop deployment, however he understands it on some degree as a deterrent.
“It does eliminate a variety of the foolishness inside malls, Metro stations, locations of enterprise, simply seeing them,” mentioned Alex, 49.
“You have got a dude that may are available in right here and act the idiot however as a substitute of doing that he sees [National Guard troops] and says ‘I’m not gonna do nothing’ — it does make some folks suppose twice.”
Not everybody was proud of the elevated police and troop presence, nevertheless.
“Having the Guard right here is idiotic,” Christian Meyers, a DC native who’s lived within the space for round 50 years and works for a nonprofit, advised The Put up.
“I simply suppose it’s going to be one other Kent State. It’s going to occur ultimately, in the event that they don’t get out of right here. They’re going to tug a gun on any person and shoot any person that’s underage, a child.”
Courtney, who works in authorities affairs, believes the troop deployment boils right down to nothing greater than a “publicity stunt” for the Trump administration.
“I don’t suppose it’s a response to the crime within the metropolis. I stay in Southeast Washington, and should you have been actually apprehensive about crime you’d concentrate on the neighborhoods which have crime. I really feel just like the safety presence is essentially in areas the place folks can do photograph ops,” she mentioned.
“Residing in Navy Yard we’ve had a variety of roving youngsters on scooters. Having Capitol Police or DC Police in bikes I believe makes much more sense in our neighborhood to cope with crime than having Nationwide Guard or DEA brokers who aren’t skilled for that.”
