Trump leverages crime concerns, yet Washington locals perceive it as a power ploy

In the heart of Washington D.C., Justina Wilkins-Jordan runs a hair salon in the Deanwood neighborhood, a community that has seen 22 homicides so far this year, according to D.C. police. Amidst these troubling statistics, the city has been under the spotlight due to President Trump's insistence on addressing a "crime emergency" here.

However, the Justice Department has stated that violent crime fell to a 30-year low in 2024, casting doubt on Trump's assertions. This discrepancy has led to a divide among residents like Wilkins-Jordan, who distrusts Trump's motives and believes he is using the city's crime problem to expand his power and undermine the city's democratic leadership.

Nancy Barnes, a resident living on the edge of Capitol Hill, shares Wilkins-Jordan's concerns about crime but supports the presence of more law enforcement in the city. Barnes has experienced incidents such as motorcycles driving on the sidewalk and illegal ATVs roaring through her neighborhood. She was elated when she heard federal agents had arrested an ATV driver earlier this month.

However, nearly eight in ten city residents oppose the president's takeover of the police department, according to a recent poll conducted by the Washington Post. Komba Mboma, who owns a shop in the Trinidad neighborhood, believes the police department in D.C. is doing a good job and thinks they can handle crime on their own. He also states that the deployment of federal forces is making people scared.

In an unexpected turn of events, the city had a 12-day stretch without a homicide since the White House declared a "crime emergency". This has raised questions about the effectiveness of the federal forces deployed to combat crime and homelessness. However, Wilkins-Jordan, like Barnes, wants more security on the streets and believes the D.C. police need to be more visible in the community.

Wilkins-Jordan is not alone in her beliefs. Nearly a quarter of those polled cited Trump and his takeover of the police as the city's biggest problem. Twenty-two percent of those polled said crime was Washington's top problem. Wilkins-Jordan thinks President Trump wants to destroy the Democratic Party and believes his deployment of federal forces in D.C. is part of his broader agenda.

As the city navigates through these challenging times, the debate over crime, politics, and power continues, leaving residents like Wilkins-Jordan and Barnes hoping for a safer and more secure Washington D.C.

Trump leverages crime concerns, yet Washington locals perceive it as a power ploy