House GOP rallies behind Trump’s D.C. crime crackdown, touting the restoration of ‘law and order’ 

Congressional Republicans are supporting President Donald Trump’s effort to address crime in the nation’s capital, scheduling a September hearing with top Washington officials. 

“President Trump is rightly using executive power to take bold and necessary action to crack down on crime and restore law and order in Washington, D.C.,” said Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight Committee. “For years, the D.C. Council’s radical, soft-on-crime agenda has emboldened criminals and put public safety at risk in our nation’s capital.” 

The Oversight Committee said it will hold a hearing next month with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, District Attorney General Brian Schwalb and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson. 

“Alongside President Trump, the House Oversight Committee is also advancing legislative solutions to protect Americans in their capital city,” Comer said. “The committee looks forward to continuing its constitutional duty to oversee D.C. and will work with the Trump administration to ensure a safe, beautiful and prosperous capital.” 

Trump on Monday held a press conference and issued an executive order declaring a crime emergency in Washington. The White House cited what it called “out of control” crime in the city, pointing to 29,348 recorded offenses in 2024, including 1,026 assaults with a dangerous weapon, 187 homicides, 2,113 robberies and 5,139 motor vehicle thefts. While those numbers are lower than the crime spikes seen in 2023, the administration said the city is still “anything but safe.” 

“In 2024, Washington, D.C. saw a homicide rate of 27.3 per 100,000 residents. That was the fourth-highest homicide rate in the country – nearly six times higher than New York City and also higher than Atlanta, Chicago, and Compton (California),” the White House said. “Washington, D.C.’s murder rate is roughly three times higher than that of Islamabad, Pakistan, and 18 times higher than that of communist-run Havana, Cuba.” 

Trump’s actions included mobilizing the D.C. National Guard and federalizing the city’s police department. On Truth Social, Trump said, “We are taking our capital back” and that his actions would “liberate” D.C. 

House Democrats have called the move an “unjustified power grab,” but GOP leaders have praised the effort. 

“The crime and chaos ends now,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, who was wounded in a 2017 shooting at a congressional baseball practice. “Our nation’s capital must be a symbol of safety and strength to the country and the world.” 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R- Louisiana, added that “every American should be able to visit and enjoy Washington, D.C., without fear.” 

Since Aug. 7, law enforcement officials have arrested more than 100 people, including 43 on Tuesday, according to Fox News.