US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could be taken under federal control due to high crime.
The American leader said in Truth Social that “crime in Washington is out of control“ and young people aged 14-16 are “robbing, maiming and shooting innocent citizens, knowing that nothing will happen to them for it“.
“If the authorities in Washington do not come to their senses, and the sooner the better, then we will have no choice but to take the city under federal control and run it properly, letting the criminals know that they will no longer be able to get away with it "with impunity," Trump said.
He also advocated changing city laws so that authorities could "impose long sentences" for street assaults, including against teenagers. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he added that a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee had also been attacked in Washington in recent days.