President Donald Trump has ordered an increase in federal law enforcement in Washington, D.C., amid concerns about violent crime.
“There will be no safe harbor for violent criminals in D.C.,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “President Trump is committed to making our nation’s capital safer for its residents, lawmakers and visitors from all around the world.”
The operation began at midnight Friday. A White House official told Scripps News the operation will last at least seven days but could be extended if necessary.
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The law enforcement presence will include personnel from multiple agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They will be in marked units and highly visible, the official said.
Although the District of Columbia is locally governed, President Trump has repeatedly criticized its leadership and suggested the federal government should take a greater role in addressing crime there.
The latest initiative follows an attempted carjacking of an employee with the Department of Government Efficiency. Two teenagers were arrested and charged in the attack.
While that incident is among several the administration has cited to justify federal involvement in local law enforcement, carjackings and homicides have declined in D.C. since peaking in 2023.
