Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump posted a fiery message on social media Wednesday, blasting the state of public safety in Washington, D.C., and threatening to exert federal power over the city if violent crime continues.
In a lengthy post, Trump claimed that crime in the nation’s capital is “totally out of control,” citing attacks by teenagers and gang members as young as 14. He alleged that youths are “randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent citizens,” emboldened by lenient laws and a lack of accountability.
Calling for a shift in policy, Trump demanded that D.C. begin prosecuting minors as adults starting at age 14, and stated that young offenders should be “locked up for a long time.” He referenced a recent incident in which an unnamed victim was reportedly beaten by a group of teens, describing the attack as “merciless.”
Trump further argued that Washington must be safe, clean, and orderly — not only for Americans but “for the world to see.” If city leadership fails to act, Trump warned, “we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City,” suggesting he would move to override local authority and bring Washington under direct federal oversight.
He ended the post by saying that if crime continues, he would “exert [his] powers” and “FEDERALIZE this City,” concluding with his signature slogan: “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
This comes after a federal worker was assaulted and others have been victims of robbings and carjackings in recent months.
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Key Points
- Trump posted a message calling for minors in D.C. to be prosecuted as adults starting at age 14
- He claimed youth crime is out of control and threatened to “federalize” the city if it continues
- The former president said he would use his powers to take control of D.C. if local leaders fail to act