President Donald Trump is warning the crime situation in Washington D.C. is unacceptable and is preparing a federal take over of the district.
"Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control. Local "youths" and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released. They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it's going to happen now! The Law in D.C. must be changed to prosecute these 'minors' as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14," Trump said on Truth Social earlier this week.
"The most recent victim was beaten mercilessly by local thugs. Washington, D.C., must be safe, clean, and beautiful for all Americans and, importantly, for the World to see. If D.C. doesn't get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they're not going to get away with it anymore," Trump continued. "Perhaps it should have been done a long time ago, then this incredible young man, and so many others, would not have had to go through the horrors of Violent Crime. If this continues, I am going to exert my powers, and FEDERALIZE this City."
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last week, is fed up with local policies that coddle youth criminals and put innocent people at risk.
"We are seeing far too much crime being committed by young people," Pirro told reporters Thursday. "Young people are coddled. And they don't need to be coddled anymore. They need to be held accountable."
U.S. Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro on President Trump potentially federalizing DC: "Young people are coddled, and they don't need to be coddled anymore. They need to be held accountable." pic.twitter.com/na8Sx0KH2E
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 7, 2025
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Further, Pirro plans to aggressively prosecute pro-terrorism criminals committing heinous crimes in the city.
"I want to make something perfectly clear. Violence against anyone in this district will not be tolerated, especially violence, which has hate at its core and is the genesis of violence. The President put me here to do a job to clean up the District, to make sure that crime doesn’t overshadow this phenomenal city, our nation’s capital. And I have, throughout my career, fought anti-Semitism for 32 years as a prosecutor and a judge," Pirro said, announcing new details about the murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim by pro-Palestinian activist Elias Rodriguez.
"I do so, I fight hate crimes with a vengeance, so don’t even think about targeting people in this district because of who they are or because of where they are from. I promise you, justice will be swift and it will be certain and I will work furiously and diligently with my phenomenal staff to make sure that we prosecute every one of these cases. This is the nation’s capital. This is where we celebrate unity. Hate has no place, but justice will rule,” she continued.
.@JeaninePirro: “Now, I want to make something perfectly clear. Violence against anyone in this district will not be tolerated, especially violence, which has hate at its core and is the genesis of violence. The President put me here to do a job to clean up the District, to make… pic.twitter.com/WYouQFtrMg
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 7, 2025
The presence of federal law enforcement officers has increased in D.C. and the National Guard may be deployed in the coming weeks to cut down on crime.
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