Trump’s Crime Crackdown in DC Brings 100 Arrests, Hundreds of National Guard Troops

Federal law enforcement agents were seen patrolling Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night as President Donald Trump’s intensified crime crackdown entered full swing.

Agents from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Secret Service were deployed in visible groups throughout the city. Their presence was noted in key downtown areas such as Metro Center, 14th Street, Logan Circle, and Chinatown, with some units moving into nearby residential neighborhoods.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told “Fox and Friends” that 45 arrests were made overnight, raising the total to about 100 since the operation began on Monday. She reported that 29 illegal immigrants were taken into custody and three illegal firearms were confiscated on Wednesday evening.

As of Wednesday, at least 400 National Guard members were on duty, with the number expected to reach 800 by week’s end. The Guard will patrol in rotating shifts, with approximately 200 deployed at a time. Another 500 federal agents are also assigned to the White House task force targeting crime in the nation’s capital.

While the initial focus was on nighttime operations, officials say the effort is now expanding into round-the-clock enforcement.

In related measures, D.C. police will extend the juvenile curfew zone in the Navy Yard through August 31, Chief Pamela Smith announced Thursday. The curfew was put in place after police say a juvenile fired a stolen gun toward other minors—thankfully without injury. Authorities report that as many as 100 teens have been congregating in the area at night and causing disturbances during the summer.

Protests have arisen in opposition to Trump’s federal control over the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the National Guard’s deployment.

One protest turned violent when a man allegedly threw a sandwich at a CBP officer while calling him a “fascist.”

“He thought it was funny,” said U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro. “Well, he doesn’t think it’s funny today, because we charged with him with a felony.”

On Wednesday night, police set up a vehicle checkpoint along 14th Street, where protesters gathered and shouted, “Go home fascists!”

Official statistics show violent crime in D.C. dropped to a 30-year low in 2024, down 35% from 2023, with another 26% decline so far this year.

However, some argue the numbers don’t reflect the real situation. “Look at these 45 victims, all 19 and under, all killed by gunfire in the last 18 months in DC and tell me that crime is down and we don’t need an emergency focus on crimes of violence,” Pirro posted on X, alongside photos of the victims.

D.C. Police Union Chief Gregg Pemberton questioned the accuracy of the reported declines.

“There’s potentially a drop from where we were in 2023,” he said. “But the department is reporting that in 2024, crime went down 35% – violent crime – and another 25% through August of this year. That is preposterous to suggest… because we’re out on the street. We know the calls we’re responding to.”

The skepticism follows the suspension of MPD’s 3rd District commander, Michael Pulliam, after allegations he manipulated crime statistics to make serious offenses appear less severe.