WASHINGTON, D.C. – As carjackings in the nation’s capital reached a staggering record of 959 incidents in 2023, federal intervention under President Donald Trump has delivered swift results, with officials reporting an 87% plunge in such crimes just 20 days into a National Guard deployment. This milestone comes amid a broader 35% decline in overall violent crime in D.C. by the end of 2024, though the surge has been credited with accelerating the trend.
The initiative began in early August 2025, following an executive order from President Trump that established specialized National Guard units tasked with urban crime intervention. The temporary federal takeover of certain policing duties in D.C. has been hailed by the White House as a model for revitalizing safety in America’s cities, with a reported 30% overall reduction in crime during the operation’s initial phase. “This is what real leadership looks like – results that speak for themselves,” a senior administration official stated, emphasizing the program’s potential for nationwide expansion.
Looking ahead, the Trump administration is eyeing extensions of similar deployments to other Democratic-led urban centers grappling with persistent crime and immigration challenges, including Chicago and Baltimore. These plans aim to address not only violent offenses but also broader issues like undocumented immigration, which officials argue contribute to urban instability.
However, the move has sparked pushback from local leaders. In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson issued an executive order designed to shield immigrants from potential federal enforcement actions, underscoring growing tensions over jurisdictional boundaries between city halls and the White House.
Experts remain divided on the long-term efficacy of such military-style interventions. While acknowledging short-term suppression of crime rates, analysts warn that deploying troops could erode community trust without complementary investments in preventive social programs, potentially leading to cycles of unrest. As the D.C. operation continues, its outcomes will likely shape the debate on federal roles in local law enforcement amid ongoing national discussions on public safety.