One of my favorite things to do in Washington, D.C., is to ride my bicycle to the monuments and around the National Mall. It’s always enjoyable. But my recent treks have featured some unusual sights.
It’s the hot topic in this city right now: President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in the district in a bid to hold down crime.
While some Republicans in Congress claim that Washington is a “war zone,” the real story is different. There are big chunks of this city that are very safe. But there are also neighborhoods that struggle with crime and need help.
The National Guard soldiers here have not been deployed in high-crime areas. Many are on patrol along the National Mall, an area that rarely sees violence. Some soldiers have also spent time spreading mulch and picking up trash in parks.
At first, the troops brought their Humvees and other heavy vehicles, giving off the feel of a military occupation. But after an armored personnel carrier ran a red light and crushed an SUV, the soldiers now seem to travel by bus or van.
The reaction on the ground has been mixed. Bicycling down the Mall, there are plenty of tourists taking pictures with soldiers. But there are also hecklers who loudly accuse the troops of supporting a dictator.
So far, the Guard has not manned the somewhat shadowy new police checkpoints around the city, which often feature masked federal agents who refuse to identify themselves.
Trump is also seemingly ready to send troops to other big cities like Chicago over the objections of local officials.
“I have the right to do anything I want to do,” Trump declared this week. “I’m thepresident of the United States.”
City leaders here have left no doubt where they stand.
“American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a post on X.
But ever since Richard Nixon ran on a “law and order” platform in 1968, Republicans have excelled at portraying Democrats as soft on crime.
And when we talk about the politics of this crime fight, Trump probably has that same advantage as well.
When Congress returns after Labor Day, there could be votes on Trump’s crime emergency and maybe on broader anti-crime legislation.
No matter what lawmakers decide, let’s not ignore one basic question. Will this crime emergency actually fix what has been ailing lower-income neighborhoods in the nation’s capital for so many years?
The scars of the deadly 1968 riots in D.C. took decades to heal. Expecting a solution overnight in 2025 may take more than National Guard troops and federal agents.
Jamie Dupree has covered national politics and Congress from Washington, D.C., since the Reagan administration. His column appears weekly in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. For more, check out his Capitol Hill newsletter at http://jamiedupree.substack.com.
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