FBI agents and a Secret Service Police officer patrol the Navy Yard neighborhood, after U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement to deploy the National Guard and federalize the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 12, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Sarah Burris is a long-time veteran of political campaigns, having worked as a fundraiser and media director across the United States. She transitioned into reporting while working for Rock the Vote, Future Majority and Wiretap Magazine, covering the Millennial Generation's perspective during the presidential elections. As a political writer, Burris has had bylines at CNN, Salon.com, BNR, and AlterNet and serves as a senior digital editor for RawStory.com.
Federal officers were ridiculed online Wednesday after videos and photos showed them patrolling the streets of the safest neighborhood in Washington, D.C.
One D.C. native posted photos of men wearing bulletproof vests and camo reading FBI on the back as they marched along the posh sidewalks of one of the richest neighborhoods in the city, Surburban Solutions wrote.
One video showed an individual in the neighborhood commenting, “There’s not much going on around here… maybe they’re practicing.”
People could be seen coming out of restaurants and staring at the men. Silence fell on one patio as diners turned to stare.
"Patrolling the mean streets of Georgetown with FBI and DEA is an insane waste of time and money….who knows maybe they gave out some jaywalking tickets," complained influencers WuTang Kids on X.
National security expert Marcy Wheeler posted a photo of President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Pate, asking, "Have any of these three people mentioned the terrorist attack on a govt agency the other day, at CDC? Why is @FBIDirectorKash pulling CT agents to go wander GEORGETOWN but he's hiding under his bed about a terrorist attack on a govt agency?"
Metropolitan Police Department Officer Daniell Hodges told MSNBC, "We could always use more hands. But...so many of these federal officers are investigators. They're supposed to be behind a desk, you know, working that way. But they're not. You know, you're going to see them standing around in Chinatown or on the mall or walking around Georgetown. They're not going east of the river. They're not doing what really needs to be done around here for help. So it could be helpful, but I don't think it's going to be."
The independent news feed, DMV News, posted a violent crime map of the District that displayed every incident so far in 2025. Not one took place in Georgetown, "compared to hundreds elsewhere," the account pointed out.