Source: The Hill – President Trump made waves on Monday when he stated that incidents like “a little fight with the wife” shouldn’t affect crime statistics in D.C. His comments came as part of a campaign to tackle crime in the nation’s capital.
“Can you believe our capital was once the most violent city? It really was out of control, but now it’s turning into a safe zone. They’ve mentioned an 87% drop in crime, but I’d say it’s more like practically zero,” Trump expressed during an event held at the Museum of the Bible.
He further elaborated, “Minor issues that happen at home are labeled as crimes. They always seek something. If a guy has a small argument with his spouse, they branded it as a crime. So, I can’t honestly declare things are 100% safe.”
These comments were part of his speech at the Religious Liberty Commission’s meeting on the same day.
Last week, Trump proudly announced that D.C. is now a “crime-free zone” and challenged Democratic leaders in other cities to collaborate with his administration to lower crime where they are.
Since Trump directed a federal law enforcement surge in D.C. starting August 7, crime rates have reportedly dropped by 14%, while violent crimes have decreased by a significant 39% compared to the same 25-day stretch last year, as per data from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Looking closer at violent crime, the statistics show a whopping 58% reduction in homicides, 57% drop in robberies, and a 40% decrease in sexual abuse cases. However, it’s worth noting that assaults with weapons have increased by 8%, though carjackings—a kind of robbery—have plummeted by 82%.
MPD has also seen a 25% surge in arrests, and firearm recoveries jumped by 20%, while service calls have risen by 14%.
On the property crime front, the year-on-year comparison showed a significant decline as well: burglaries fell by 49%, motor vehicle thefts decreased by 35%, and thefts from vehicles dropped by 8%. Interestingly, overall thefts increased by 1%.
In a recent social media post, Trump applauded D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), calling her “very popular” for her collaboration with the federal team to bring crime to “virtually NOTHING” in the city.
He added, “Her positive actions stand in stark contrast to others such as Pritzker, Wes Moore, Newscum, and the Chicago mayor with a mere 5% approval rating who spend all their time justifying violent crime instead of teaming up with us to ELIMINATE it, which we’ve achieved here in D.C.—a true CRIME-FREE ZONE.”
At a press briefing this month, Bowser emphasized the necessity for more police officers in the city. She claimed that the influx of federal support has provided the local police with the help they desperately needed. However, she also pointed out that activating masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, along with out-of-town National Guard units, wasn’t the solution.
Many local Democrats and some residents have openly criticized Trump’s law enforcement strategy in D.C., reminiscent of federal force used in Los Angeles months earlier.
There are also hints from Trump and officials in his administration of possible federal oversight in Chicago and other cities led by Democrats.
While speaking on Monday, Trump expressed puzzlement over Chicago’s lack of outreach to request help, coincidentally coinciding with the Department of Homeland Security’s current immigration initiatives spotlighting Chicago.
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