President Trump on Tuesday again threatened to bring Washington, D.C. under federal control, decrying what he called “out of control” crime in the nation’s capital.
In a characteristically forceful post on TRUTH Social, Trump wrote: “Local ‘youths’ and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16 years old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, all while knowing they’ll be almost immediately released.”
Trump urged city leaders to start charging violent juveniles as adults at age 14 and to “lock them up for a long time.”
Alongside the post, he shared a jarring image: a bloodied young man slumped on the sidewalk, the alleged victim of a teenage assault — an image meant to bring his point home.
Read the President’s full TRUTH Social post below:
Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control. Local “youths” and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released. They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it’s going to happen now! The Law in D.C. must be changed to prosecute these “minors” as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14. The most recent victim was beaten mercilessly by local thugs. Washington, D.C., must be safe, clean, and beautiful for all Americans and, importantly, for the World to see. If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore. Perhaps it should have been done a long time ago, then this incredible young man, and so many others, would not have had to go through the horrors of Violent Crime. If this continues, I am going to exert my powers, and FEDERALIZE this City. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Former DOGE head Elon Musk shared Trump’s post, adding, ““A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC. A @Doge team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her. It is time to federalize DC.”
A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC.
A @Doge team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her.
It is time to federalize DC. pic.twitter.com/RPHKj7J3ti
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 5, 2025
More over at The New York Post:
Trump threatens federal takeover of DC if capital ‘doesn’t get its act together’ https://t.co/bsEYussBFW pic.twitter.com/VszgMJjXn1
— New York Post (@nypost) August 5, 2025
