Trump threatens 'complete' federal takeover of DC if Muriel Bowser dosen't stop with ‘fake crime numbers’

WASHINGTON DC: President Donald Trump warned that a “complete and total federal takeover of the city” could follow if Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser continued releasing what he called “false and highly inaccurate crime figures.”

The president said his administration’s intervention in the capital was driving change, but city officials and the Metropolitan Police Department strongly disputed his claims.

Donald Trump touts zero murders after DC federal takeover

In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed that crimes had seen a dramatic decline following the federal takeover, echoing Pam Bondi's statement about zero murders in a week.

“Washington, DC is safe again. The crowds are coming back, the spirit is high, and our DC National Guard and police are doing a fantastic job," Trump wrote on Friday.

"They are out in force, and are not playing games,” Trump added. He said, “As bad as it sounds to say, there were no murders this week for the first time in memory."

Trump, who recently visited police and military on-guard in the city, added that Bowser must “immediately stop” publishing such reports or “bad things will happen,” warning that this could include a federal takeover.

Bowser and officials like DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb have pushed back, rejecting Trump’s branding of the capital as the “most unsafe city” in the United States.

DC officials claim 30-year low in crime as Trump claims numbers are fake

On August 18, a week after he announced the federal takeover, Trump said city leaders had produced “fake crime numbers” to “create a false illusion of safety.”

The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said earlier this year that crime in the city was at a 30-year low, a point Mayor Bowser cited when Trump announced his emergency measure.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police Department published new data Thursday showing violent crime in the city was down 27% in 2025 compared to 2024.

Reports also suggest the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the city’s crime reporting, with Trump saying DC was under “serious investigation” for releasing what he called “fake” statistics.

Donald Trump visits Park Police facility, praises law enforcement response

During his in-person visit Thursday, Trump stopped at a Park Police Facility in DC. He told officers crime numbers “are way down” since the takeover, which will run for 30 days.

“It’s like a different place, it’s a different city… I’ve never received so many phone calls thanking me for what we’ve done in Washington DC,” Trump said.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, who joined Trump on the visit, said on Fox News that no homicides had been reported in the city “because of the presence of law enforcement.”

Bondi added that since the start of the federal deployment, 630 arrests were made and 86 illegal guns seized, with 251 of the arrests involving immigrants in the country illegally.

She also said, "No one in this country will love law enforcement more than Donald Trump." 

Internet reacts as Trump warns Muriel Bowser over crime reports

People online were divided, with Trump-leaning supporters praising the federal takeover, while others argued that his statement was a threat and potentially impeachable. 

“Bowser and many Democratic mayors seem to be falling short in leadership, and perhaps it’s time for real accountability,” one Trump supporter wrote on X.

One more wrote, “Accurate crime reporting is essential for public trust and effective community safety strategies.”

Another user said, “Seems impeachable to openly threat a mayor of US city, but what do I know?”

A supporter also praised Bondi’s revelation about crime falling in the capital, writing, “Incredible is right.”

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