Trump Gives Democrats Bigger Problems
President Donald Trump has launched a historic crime crackdown in the nation’s capital, federalizing Washington, D.C.’s police force and calling in the National Guard. The move has Democrats on edge — and voters talking.
Trump’s decision comes after years of rising violence in Democrat-run cities, with carjackings, armed robberies, and assaults making headlines in once-thriving neighborhoods. In the Navy Yard district, Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) recalled, “A member of Congress was carjacked, staffers robbed, an Uber Eats driver murdered by teenagers, and stores shut down from repeated thefts.”
Democrats insist that “crime is down” based on official statistics showing a 35% drop in violent crime from 2023 to 2024. But that decline followed a major spike the year before — and polls show most Americans simply don’t believe they’re safer. A CNN survey found 40% of voters trust Republicans more on crime, compared to just 27% for Democrats.
Gallup data shows nearly half the country worries “a great deal” about crime and violence — a sentiment especially strong among seniors and suburban voters. Republicans are hammering that point, comparing it to their winning inflation messaging during the Biden years: perception is reality.
Even some Democrat strategists are warning their party to tread carefully. “The perception is what it is,” admitted one, acknowledging that statistics rarely sway public opinion when fear is already entrenched.
Trump’s move also comes as the administration faces tough economic headlines: stubborn inflation, job growth far below expectations, and growing frustration among working Americans. Yet his allies say the law-and-order push reinforces his reputation as a president of action — not empty promises.
Meanwhile, Democrats remain tethered to their most radical voices. Figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani have championed “Defund the Police” and “Abolish ICE,” policies Republicans say have endangered law-abiding citizens.
“Trusting Democrats to handle crime is like asking the fox to guard the henhouse,” said NRCC spokesperson Mike Marinella. “Voters know they’re less safe in Democrat-run cities, and no spin will erase their record.”
Some Democrats worry about the precedent Trump’s intervention could set for other cities. But for millions of Americans who see violence creeping into their own communities, his bold action in D.C. may be exactly what they’ve been waiting for.
