Trump Orders Surge of Law Enforcement in Washington to Combat Crime

The White House said the move is necessary as Washington ‘has been plagued by violent crime for far too long.’

U.S. Capitol Police Officers patrol the East Front plaza of the Capitol Building in Washington on March 7, 2024. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

President Donald Trump had ordered the federal government to increase law enforcement presence in Washington to combat violent crime, the White House said on Aug. 7.

“President Trump has directed an increased presence of federal law enforcement to protect innocent citizens,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, noting that the city “has been plagued by violent crime for far too long.”