President Donald Trump has announced plans to deploy National Guard troops to Washington DC, saying the move will make the US capital’s streets safer and cleaner.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Mr Trump said the city’s police would come under federal control, citing a murder rate “higher than” some of the “worst places on earth.” He described the decision as a “historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor,” adding: “This is liberation day in DC and we are going to take our capital back.”
The president declared a public safety emergency and said the plan also included “beautification” of the city. He had already ordered a seven-day federal law enforcement surge, deploying over 120 officers from agencies including the Secret Service, FBI and US Marshals Service.
Minority House Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised the move, noting that violent crime in DC is at a 30-year low.
Mr Trump also vowed to remove the homeless population, saying: “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY… The Criminals… we’re going to put you in jail where you belong.”