Trump Vows to Patrol Washington Streets With Troops Amid Criticism and Falling Crime Rates

Former U.S. President Donald Trump says he plans to personally patrol the streets of Washington, D.C., alongside police and military personnel, following his deployment of thousands of National Guard troops to the nation’s capital — a move he says is in response to what he calls a “crime emergency.”

“I’m going to be going out tonight I think with the police and with the military of course… We’re going to be doing a job,” Trump told Newsmax host Todd Starnes on Thursday.

The deployment, which Trump ordered last week, has sparked intense debate, with critics accusing him of politicizing public safety and militarizing civilian spaces. The former president declared he would “take our capital back,” despite local data showing a decline in violent crime and resistance from D.C. residents.

More than 800 D.C. National Guard troops are already mobilized, while an additional 1,200 personnel are being sent by Republican-led states including Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Uniformed troops have been seen patrolling tourist-heavy areas like the National Mall, Nationals Park, and the vicinity of Union Station.

In addition to the troop surge, Trump has reportedly sought greater control over the Washington, D.C. police department, including attempts to sideline its leadership. Some residents have expressed support for the increased security presence, but others argue the move is a political stunt, noting that troops are not deployed in neighborhoods most affected by crime.

Trump’s Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visited troops at Union Station on Wednesday, where they were met with loud boos and chants of “Free DC!”

“A bunch of crazy protesters,” Vance remarked in response to the hecklers.

Public frustration has also surfaced online, with viral moments highlighting resistance to the troop presence. One incident involved the arrest of a man who threw a sandwich at a federal agent — an act that has since inspired street art and memes depicting him as a folk hero known as the “sandwich guy.”

Despite Trump’s claims of rising crime, Washington, D.C. police data shows a significant drop in violent offenses between 2023 and 2024, following a post-pandemic spike. Critics argue that the deployment is more about optics and control than public safety.

The National Guard said in a statement that troops are providing “critical support such as crowd management, presence patrols, and perimeter control in support of law enforcement.”

The show of force in Washington follows Trump’s recent decision to send National Guard and Marine units to Los Angeles, in response to unrest sparked by immigration enforcement raids — further cementing his controversial approach to domestic security.

As Trump ramps up these deployments, the tension between federal authority and local governance, particularly in the Democratic stronghold of D.C., is becoming a central issue in the national conversation about law enforcement, democracy, and civil rights.