Crime in Washington, DC, has declined sharply since President Donald Trump ordered federal law enforcement and National Guard troops to assume control of policing the capital earlier this month, according to new data.
FOX News reported Aug. 19 that since the Aug. 7 intervention, carjackings have dropped by 83%, robbery by 46%, violent crime by 22%, and car theft by 21%.
🚨 BREAKING: Stunning new data was just released showing that after President Trump’s Washington DC takeover, carjackings plummet by 83%, robbery by 46%, violent crime by 22% and car theft by 21%.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 19, 2025
In 7 days.
Democrats said this was impossible and DC had no crime issues - they… pic.twitter.com/HOzbGppgad
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an Aug. 19 press briefing that federal officers have made 465 arrests since the operation began. On the night of Aug. 18 alone, she said officers arrested 52 people, including an illegal immigrant MS-13 gang member.
CatholicVote previously reported that Trump directed federal agencies to take charge of policing in parts of the city starting midnight Aug. 7 to address what he called “totally out of control” crime.
On Aug. 11, Trump declared a 30-day public safety emergency in the city, according to Reuters. The declaration invoked a section of the Home Rule Act that allows the President to take control of DC’s police force and deploy National Guard troops and federal agents to patrol.
Trump also suggested Aug. 11 that he may extend similar interventions to five other cities: Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Oakland. While the idea was praised by some, it also drew criticism from those who warn it risks expanding federal power.
Meanwhile, many residents welcomed the stronger security presence in the capital. One DC resident told NBCWashington he “feels safer” and is “more inclined to be downtown more often than I usually am."