White House Press Release - FACT: Yes, D.C. Crime Is Out of Control

Washington, D.C. should be a symbol of pride and patriotism for the American people — and a safe location for tourists, residents, and public servants. Unfortunately, while Fake News journalists and politicians go out of their way to claim otherwise, the reality is that our nation's capital is anything but safe.

Here are the facts:

• In 2024, Washington, D.C. saw a homicide rate of 27.3 per 100,000 residents.
  • That was the fourth-highest homicide rate in the country — nearly six times higher than New York City and also higher than Atlanta, Chicago, and Compton.
  • If Washington, D.C. was a state, it would have the highest homicide rate of any state in the nation.
  • In 2012, the homicide rate in Washington, D.C. was just 13.9 per 100,000 residents.

• Washington, D.C.'s murder rate is roughly three times higher than that of Islamabad, Pakistan, and 18 times higher than that of communist-run Havana, Cuba.

• The number of juveniles arrested in Washington, D.C. has gone up each year since 2020 — many of whom have had prior arrests for violent crimes.

• There were 29,348 crimes reported in Washington, D.C. last year, including 3,469 violent offenses, 1,026 assaults with a dangerous weapon, 2,113 robberies, and 5,139 motor vehicle thefts.

• So far in 2025, there have already been nearly 1,600 violent crimes and nearly 16,000 total crimes reported in Washington, D.C.
  • There have been nearly 100 homicides, including the fatal shootings of innocent civilians like three-year-old Honesty Cheadle and 21-year-old Capitol Hill intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym.

• Vehicle theft in Washington, D.C. is more than three times the national average — ranking it among the most dangerous cities in the world.
  • Carjackings increased 547% between 2018 and 2023.
  • In 2024, there were triple the number of carjackings compared to 2018.

• These statistics are not only troubling on their own, but they also likely significantly understate the level of crime in Washington, D.C.
  • Metro Police Department leadership are allegedly cooking the books to make crime statistics appear more favorable.
  • Many residents don't feel safe reporting crime.
  • More than half of all violent crime in the U.S. goes unreported in the first place.
  • WUSA-TV: "D.C. residents voice frustration over rising violence, questioning police stats and demanding real action to make neighborhoods feel safe again."