Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In recent statements, US President Donald Trump again criticized the security situation in Washington, DC, a city that he said faces a crime crisis "worse than some of the most dangerous places in the world."
"The homicide rate in Washington today is far higher than that of Bogotá, Colombia, Mexico City, some of the places that are cited as the worst in the world," Trump said.
The president also highlighted that the U.S. capital has seen a dramatic increase in crime in recent years:
- Car thefts have doubled in five years.
- Vehicle thefts have tripled.
- Murders in 2023 reached the highest level "probably in history," he said, although some official reports call it the highest in 25 years.
Trump used the comparison with Bogotá and Mexico City to underscore what he considers a failure to control crime in the nation's capital, in a context in which he also defended the deployment of the National Guard as a security measure.
Deployment of the National Guard on Trump's orders
President Donald Trump confirmed this Monday the deployment of the National Guard in Washington DC and the temporary federalization of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), in a move he described as necessary to "restore order and security" in the US capital. The measure is protected by Section 740 of the Home Rule Act, which allows the president to assume control of local police forces in exceptional situations.
According to Trump, the operation is in response to the increase in violent crime and robbery recorded in recent years in the city, although recent figures show a downward trend. The deployment, which covers different parts of the district, includes joint patrols and logistical support for local police.
Critics have warned that the intervention could strain relations between the federal government and DC authorities, while supporters see it as urgent action to address insecurity.
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