President Donald Trump uncorked a lengthy screed on his Truth Social platform Wednesday night in which he doubled down on baseless claims that Washington, D.C., is "under siege from thugs and killers," and suggested that precipitous drops in the city's crime rates were a cover-up by "corrupt" officials.
Trump took direct action to assume federal control over law enforcement in the nation's capital this month. He signed a directive placing the Metropolitan Police Department under federal authority and deployed hundreds of National Guard troops to the city. The president justified the drastic move by citing rampant violent crime, homelessness, and attacks on federal officials.
While experts have noted that crimes have fallen to decade lows, Trump sounded off on social media, insisting the opposite is true.
"Washington, D.C., has one of the Highest Rates of Crime in the World, more than many of the most violent Third World Countries. The City’s Homicide Rate is higher than places notorious for their violence, such as Mexico City, Bogota, Islamabad, and Addis Ababa — Almost ten times higher than Fallujah, Iraq," he began. "If D.C. were a State, it would have the highest Homicide Rate of any State in America."
Notably, a PBS fact-check found that in 2023, at least 49 other cities in the world had higher homicide rates than Washington, D.C. Experts say the homicide rate is also partly influenced by the city’s limits, which are “almost completely urban” compared with other major cities, including Philadelphia and New York City.
Nonetheless, Trump continued, suggesting a cover-up was afoot.
"The Violent Crime Rate in D.C. has worsened, and the Murder Rate has essentially DOUBLED in just over a decade — But these are only the 'official' statistics released by corrupt City Officials. The REAL numbers are many times worse. In fact, a Precinct Commander was just suspended for allegedly manipulating the Violent Crime Statistics, and the D.C. Police Union, likewise, says the real numbers are much higher."
Trump accused the city's Democratic leaders of largely stopping investigating, arresting, and prosecuting most crimes, asserting "the published statistics don’t even capture a fraction of the actual Violence."
"No one is arrested for shoplifting. Citizens living in fear have largely given up on calling the Police, instead choosing not to walk the streets after dark, essentially becoming captive prisoners in their own City. Stores lock up their merchandise behind glass walls. Gang Youth Violence is so common it goes largely unreported. Vehicle Theft in D.C. is more than three times the National Average. Schools are completely dysfunctional. Citizens are afraid to speak up or, call the Police, lest they be targeted."
Trump said the "real" crime rates are likely 5 to 10 times higher than what was reported.
"D.C. has been under siege from thugs and killers, but now, D.C. is back under Federal Control where it belongs. The White House is in charge. The Military and our Great Police will liberate this City, scrape away the filth, and make it safe, clean, habitable and beautiful once more!" he concluded.