President Donald Trump on Tuesday reignited his threat for the federal authorities to “run” Washington, DC, after a former Department of Government Efficiency worker was assaulted in an attempted carjacking.
“I have to say that somebody from DOGE was very badly hurt … A young man who was beat up by a bunch of thugs in DC, and either they’re gonna straighten their act out in the terms of government and in terms of protection or we’re gonna have to federalize and run it the way it’s supposed to be run,” Trump advised reporters Tuesday.
Edward Coristine, the 19-year-old former DOGE worker as soon as identified by the web moniker “Big Balls,” and one other particular person have been assaulted in an attempted carjacking on Sunday, in accordance to a DC Police Department incident report obtained by NCS affiliate WUSA.
Police noticed a bunch of round 10 juveniles encompass Coristine’s car and assault him, the incident report mentioned. When police exited their car, the juveniles ran away.
Two 15-year-olds “were arrested and charged with Unarmed Carjacking,” in accordance to DC police.
Coristine earlier this yr was tapped to take half in a sweeping overhaul of the US authorities by DOGE, NCS previously reported, working as a “senior advisor” with entry to varied departments, together with Homeland Security, FEMA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Coristine joined the Social Security Administration earlier this summer season to work on its web site, an company spokesperson advised NCS in June.
“Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control. Local ‘youths’ and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released. They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it’s going to happen now!” Trump wrote Tuesday on Truth Social.
“The Law in D.C. must be changed to prosecute these ‘minors’ as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14,” Trump mentioned.
Trump continued: “If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore. Perhaps it should have been done a long time ago, then this incredible young man, and so many others, would not have had to go through the horrors of Violent Crime. If this continues, I am going to exert my powers, and FEDERALIZE this City.”
Billionaire Elon Musk – who beforehand led DOGE – joined in the president’s criticism, writing in a post on X, “It is time to federalize DC.”
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s workplace declined to touch upon Trump’s remarks when reached by NCS.
Trump threatens to take over DC police and convey in National Guard
Trump continued to threaten a federal takeover on Wednesday, saying he’s contemplating having his administration take over the DC Police Department and doubtlessly bringing in the National Guard.
“We’re considering it, yeah, because the crime is ridiculous,” Trump advised reporters in the Oval Office, later including, “and that includes bringing in the National Guard maybe very quickly too.”
The president additionally mentioned the administration was going “to look at” overturning DC Home Rule – which supplies sure congressional powers relating to the governance of the district to native authorities entities, together with the mayor and metropolis council.
“We’re going to look at that – in fact, they are, the lawyers are already studying it,” Trump mentioned. “We have to run DC. This has to be the best run place in the country, not the worst run place in the country. And it has so much potential, and we’re going to take care of it.”
US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro mentioned in a Wednesday interview with Fox News that she spoke to the president at size on Tuesday.
“(These kids) need to have consequences, they need to understand that enough is enough,” Pirro mentioned, later including, “It’s time to end it. That’s what the president wants. That’s what we’re going to do.”
Despite Trump and his allies’ repeated claims of elevated crime in DC, 2025 crime numbers are decrease than final yr’s, in accordance to a preliminary year-to-date crime comparison from DC Police. As of Wednesday, violent crime is down 26%, in accordance to the DC Police.
DC Councilmember Christina Henderson advised NCS on Wednesday, “It’s never a good thing when a person in our city is a victim of violence,” however famous there’s frustration additionally being skilled by the City Council.
Henderson mentioned the Council is annoyed that the federal authorities, in each the Biden and Trump administrations, has not nominated sufficient judges to deal with the felony caseload in town “and the Senate has not confirmed enough judges.”
Trump’s rekindled threats comes as Bowser, a number one determine in the Democratic resistance in the course of the president’s first time period, has treaded rigorously by Trump’s second time period. NCS previously reported Bowser has confronted criticism from some native officers for her much less defiant strategy.
“I have to give the mayor credit. Mayor Bowser is working with us,” Pirro advised Fox News.
Bowser in March introduced the elimination of the Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington after Republicans in Congress threatened to withhold funding for the district if it saved the two-block mural intact. The mayor advised NCS on the time, “We have bigger fish to fry,” citing the looming monetary and existential crises her metropolis abruptly faces beneath Trump.
Earlier this yr, Trump mentioned that the federal authorities ought to “take over” DC.
“I think that we should govern District of Columbia. It’s so important, the DC situation. I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order,” Trump advised reporters aboard Air Force One in February.
In March, Trump signed an executive order establishing a “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” aiming to guarantee federal participation in a lot of metropolis points, together with most enforcement of federal immigration legal guidelines and beefing up federal and native regulation enforcement presence in sure areas.
The order goals to be certain that “all applicable quality of life, nuisance, and public-safety laws are strictly enforced,” together with crimes involving assault, battery, larceny, graffiti, public intoxication and extra.
This story has been up to date with extra particulars.
NCS’s Brian Todd and DJ Judd contributed to this report.