President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that journalists downplaying the rampant crime in Washington, D.C., should consider going on “ride alongs” with police to witness the mess for themselves.
The corporate media has cited Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) data which shows that violent crime has dropped 26% since 2024, though these numbers are at odds with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data and by other factors. Trump said that he is open to journalists riding along with MPD officers to witness the extent to which crime has worsened in Washington.
“It’s okay to me if [journalists] want to do it. We’re gonna work with the D.C. police,” Trump said. “They’ve got some good people in there, not all, but a lot of good, very professional [people]. And, you know, we have a big force. I think they said 3,500. They’re always asking [Democrat Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser], who’s a very nice woman, but she’s got to do the job. You know, we’ve worked with the mayor for 6 months and she’s been here for many years and the numbers are worse than they ever were. Don’t let anyone tell you they’re not and the whole statistical charts that they made, the whole thing is a rigged deal.”
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The MPD’s data does not account for aggravated and felony assault, which makes the decrease in violent crimes appear more drastic. The FBI’s data shows that violent crime went down by 10% since 2024 and has remained above pre-pandemic levels.
The MPD suspended a police commander in May and opened an investigation into whether he had manipulated data to reflect a larger decrease in crime. The Washington Police Union accused the MPD in July of falsifying crime statistics to exaggerate a decrease in violent crimes.
The Rochester Institute for Technology found that Washington’s murder rate in 2024 was the fourth highest in the U.S., standing above New York City, Chicago and Atlanta.
The presence of nearly 850 officers led to the arrests of 23 individuals who committed homicide, firearm and drug offenses, along with other heinous crimes on Monday night alone, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The officers also seized six illegal firearms.
The administration began taking aggressive action following several notable violent crimes, including the fatal shooting of congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym and the beating of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward Coristine, also known as “Big Balls,” after he interfered in a carjacking.
Democratic Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser declared on Monday that Washington should seek statehood as a result of Trump’s actions.
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