2:37President Donald Trump speaks to federal troops at the US Park Police Anacostia operations facility in Washington, August 21, 2025.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
On Thursday, President Donald Trump convened with police and military officials in Washington, D.C., to supervise the buildup of federal officers and National Guard aimed at what he labels a spiraling crime crisis in the district.
Trump traveled to the U.S. Park Police Anacostia Operations Facility in Southeast D.C. — now the staging hub for every agency taking part — where he thanked soldiers and officers and delivered hamburgers from the White House along with pizza.
The commander-in-chief boarded the armored presidential limo — popularly known as “the Beast” — with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller for the mid-afternoon trip.
“I just want to express my gratitude to everyone for being here,” Trump remarked. “I felt it was important. We’ve achieved remarkable outcomes, and it feels like an entirely different city—a transformation. It’s the nation’s capital and it’s on track to be the finest on Earth.”
President Donald Trump speaks to federal troops at the US Park Police Anacostia operations facility in Washington, August 21, 2025.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
Speaking for several minutes, Trump praised his crackdown on crime.
“You have to be firm and resolute,” Trump told the crowd. “You have to carry out your duty. Use whatever means are necessary to get it done.”
President Donald Trump speaks to federal troops at the US Park Police Anacostia operations facility in Washington, August 21, 2025.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
During a radio interview earlier that morning, Trump said he would “head out tonight” alongside law enforcement and troops, yet returned to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue after the visit.
President Donald Trump speaks with federal troops as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Attorney General Pam Bondi listen at the US Park Police Anacostia operations facility in Washington, August 21, 2025.Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Trump dispatched the National Guard seven days ago to bolster police, insisting violence was out of hand. Authorities note the Guard’s role is not to arrest, but to temporarily detain individuals when required before turning them over to law enforcement.
Violent offenses have fallen relative to earlier periods—down 26 percent since 2024, reaching a 30-year low, according to city statistics released by the Metropolitan Police Department.
In a Thursday chat with radio host Todd Starnes, Trump characterized the D.C. surge as “a trial run” and vowed to extend the formula to additional metropolitan areas.
“It’s performing beyond expectations, much quicker than anticipated. We’ve locked up hundreds of offenders, hardened criminals who’ll never be productive,” the president stated.
Trump indicated Memphis would head the queue for future patrols.
“Regrettably, many cities resemble this. I adore Tennessee—you know I took the state by a colossal margin. So I’ll slot Memphis high on the list, and I’m certain folks there will welcome it,” he continued.
The Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial are visible as National Guard troops walk along the National Mall on August 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
In June, Trump sent California National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid demonstrations against ICE immigration sweeps. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom sued, arguing the deployment breached the Posse Comitatus Act—the 1878 statute limiting domestic use of the armed forces. No ruling has yet been issued.
Trump boasted he “cleaned up crime in D.C. within four days.” He also rejected critiques of his capital actions.
“All they can say is ‘He’s a dictator he’s a dictator’—meanwhile the streets were overrun with muggings and they hand out phony numbers claiming all is well. Yet we’ve turned it around; residents are thrilled, flocking back to eateries,” he alleged.
Trump’s comments followed a Wednesday visit by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller to Union Station, where protesters booed the officials.
Close to 2,000 National Guard members from D.C. and six states are deployed to support Trump’s capital operation. They are presently unarmed, but officials expect them to carry weapons soon.
Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
Troops are stationed outside prominent tourist zones such as the National Mall and Union Station, places where incidents of crime are lower than elsewhere in the city. Neither Trump nor senior officials have outlined an end date for the deployment.
On Wednesday, Vance brushed off data showing reduced offenses at Union Station, claiming the figures omit broader criminal activity.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday denounced the administration’s flood of federal forces as politically driven and disconnected from ground-level crime trends.
“This makes no sense. The actual numbers and district conditions do not justify busing in a thousand out-of-state personnel,” Bowser declared.
ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Anne Flaherty contributed to this report.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
