President Donald Trump has issued a presidential memorandum directing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to mobilize the District of Columbia National Guard over crime in Washington, D.C. The memorandum says the D.C. Guard will remain mobilized until “law and order is restored.”
“Washington, D.C. is under siege from out-of-control violent crime, and Federal intervention is now necessary to secure the safety and peaceful functioning of our Nation, the Federal government, and our city,” the memorandum says.
The memorandum says D.C. is a Federal city and violent crime “prevents Federal workers from safely performing their duties and prevents Americans from safely accessing their elected officials.”
“D.C. government has lost control of public safety in the city,” the memorandum says. It lists the following incidents:
· In May, two embassy staffers were murdered.
· In June, a Congressional intern was fatally shot just a short distance from the White House.
· Just days ago, a Trump Administration staffer was mercilessly beaten by a violent mob.
· Washington, D.C. has a violent crime rate that is higher than some of the most dangerous places in the world.
The memorandum says Washington, DC’s 2024 murder rate (27.54 per 100,000 population) is higher than Bogota (15.1), Mexico City (10.6), Islamabad (9.2), Lima (7.6), and even major capitals like Paris (1.64), London (1.1), and Madrid (0.96).
“President Trump has a Constitutional obligation to restore order so that citizens, tourists, and staff can live peacefully in the Nation’s capital. Our Nation’s capital should be the envy of the world, not a disgrace,” it says.
