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Federal authorities said Wednesday that more than 550 people have been arrested in the nation’s capital since President Donald Trump ordered a federal takeover of local policing earlier this month.
“Thanks to President Trump’s bold actions to Make DC Safe Again, more than 550 dangerous criminals have been removed from the streets of our nation’s capital,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said, according to Fox News.
“While the Fake News tried to sell a lie that D.C. was safe, these arrests reveal the truth,” she continued. “Hundreds of violent criminals have been arrested by federal law enforcement agents for carrying illegal weapons, distributing deadly drugs, committing armed robbery, and having ties to dangerous gangs like MS-13. President Trump is making DC safe again by enforcing the law and everyday Americans support his commonsense, tough-on-crime policies.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said federal agents made 66 arrests Tuesday night across multiple agencies, with the FBI involved in 41 of those cases. Agents also seized six illegal firearms and conducted eight drug busts.
“Saving lives every day. Thanks to the men and women in the field,” Patel wrote on social media.
“@FBI joined partners in 41 of those arrests, recovered 6 illegal firearms with 8 drug seizures. Saving lives every day. Thanks to the men and women in the field,” he added.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the totals, adding that at least 76 illegal firearms have been confiscated since the federal deployment began. She noted that among the latest arrests was a juvenile wanted on an armed robbery warrant.
“Together we will make D.C. safe again,” Bondi said, adding that U.S. Marshals are offering a $500 reward for tips leading to arrests.
The Trump administration deployed federal agencies and National Guard troops earlier this month after declaring a public safety emergency in the District of Columbia.
National Guard members from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana and other states have joined local Guard units. They are patrolling streets, protecting landmarks and assisting with crowd control in coordination with federal officers.
The White House said the initiative has led to a decline in reported crime across several neighborhoods, though it has not released detailed crime statistics to verify the claim.
The deployment marks one of the most aggressive federal interventions in local policing in modern history, with multiple agencies including the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives participating.