Democracy Dies in Darkness

Trump has plenty of ways to make mischief for D.C.

City leaders’ dithering on crime only creates a bigger opening for presidential bigfooting.

6 min
D.C. police at Dupont Circle in June. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post)

Sunday morning’s carjacking assault of 19-year-old Edward Coristine, a former U.S. DOGE Service staffer also known as “Big Balls,” prompted President Donald Trump to once again threaten to federalize the D.C. police and bring in the National Guard because, he said, “crime is ridiculous” in the District.

House Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), who represents D.C. in Congress, fired back, calling Trump’s suggestions “misguided and offensive” while noting that crime in the city is at a “historic low point.”

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