At a press conference in Washington, Senator John Hoeven discussed the results of President Trump’s law enforcement initiatives aimed at reducing crime in the nation’s capital. Hoeven and other lawmakers emphasized their support for law enforcement and criticized what they described as lenient crime policies in Washington, D.C., which they said contributed to high rates of homicides, robberies, and vehicle thefts.
According to data from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, there have been significant reductions in several types of crimes since the Trump administration increased law enforcement presence in the district compared to August 2024. Homicides decreased by 58%, cases of sex abuse dropped by 40%, robberies fell by 57%, and car-jackings declined by 82%.
“People need to be safe in our capital city, whether they live here or they come for work or to visit. We have a responsibility to bring down crime, and it’s good that President Trump is taking action that has delivered real results to make sure people are safe in our nation’s capital,” said Hoeven. “Our National Guard military police, along with law enforcement from a wide range of federal agencies, are trained to do this work, and as a former governor, I know firsthand how effective our Guard members are in responding to emergencies. Their visibility and hard work are a strong deterrent to crime, and it’s long past time that we support police in enforcing our laws and keeping the public safe. It’s just common sense.”
Hoeven highlighted that these efforts were necessary due to D.C.’s high homicide rate—the fourth highest among U.S. cities—as well as elevated robbery rates and vehicle thefts that were three times above the national average.
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