It’s no secret that violent crime is spiraling out of control in our cities.
Some would have you believe that rampant crime is just a fact of life when you live in a big city, but that’s not true. Rampant crime is a consequence of failed policy and moral leadership.
For the last 20 years, the city of Washington, D.C., has had an average of three homicides a week. In 2024, 29,348 crimes were reported in Washington, including 3,469 violent offenses, 2,113 robberies, and 5,139 vehicle thefts. In 2025, there were already 17,367 reported crimes in the district, including 1,742 violent offenses.
That’s not OK, and certainly not for the city that serves as the seat of the United States government. The capital city should be safe, clean, and welcoming to the American people. Unfortunately, Washington residents and visitors have been forced to step over piles of garbage and human feces while visiting our national monuments. They’ve had cars broken into, wallets stolen, and faced violent assault in broad daylight.
Many on the Left may accept this as the status quo, but President Donald Trump has now proven that tolerance for crime is a choice and a result of failed policy. In the month since he brought the National Guard to Washington, there has been one homicide. You read that right—just one homicide in a month. The turnaround has been drastic and immediate.
Many of America’s liberal-run cities continue to choose policies that make more Americans the victims of crime. Defunding police departments, woke ideology, and an apathetic attitude toward violent crime have led to a true crisis of safety. But Trump and Republicans in Congress will not tolerate the violent crime that is festering in our cities. That is why the president has taken executive action to stop cities from releasing dangerous criminals with no-cash bail policies and mobilized the National Guard to combat the crime crisis in the nation’s capital.
House Republicans are taking action, too. Last week, the House Oversight Committee marked up 14 bills to make Washington, D.C., safe again. This week the House is expected to begin consideration of these bills which include policies to remove red tape which hinders the ability of police to pursue criminals, provide needed reform to the process of District of Columbia judicial appointments, allow for minors who commit heinous crimes such as murder or rape to be prosecuted as adults, and ensure adults over the age of 18 are ineligible for youth offender status.
Tolerance for crime is a choice. We don’t have to live like this, and it’s time for Americans to demand better from their leaders. Republicans are leading the way to show that our cities can thrive as safe, clean, welcoming centers of business and culture for the American people. The president and House Republicans are committed to safety in every community across the nation, an urgent priority that begins with securing our nation’s capital.
We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal.