Donald Trump’s crackdown on crime in Washington DC is blowing the FBI’s cover, bureau agents fear.

Unmarked cars used by teams of agents to conduct investigative work into drugs and trafficking rings are increasingly being noticed, nine current and former agents have said.

On Thursday, the US president claimed America’s capital was now “totally safe” after he deployed the National Guard, at least 100 FBI agents and 40 DEA and ICE agents to its streets and federalised its metropolitan police force.

Mr Trump said at the time that DC had been “overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youths, drugged out maniacs and homeless people. And we’re not going to let it happen any more.”