DC homicides drop 60% amid Trump crime crackdown

Crime Rates in Washington, DC Show Significant Decrease

Homicides in Washington, DC dropped 60%, while carjackings fell 68%. Overall crime decreased by 32% when comparing the end of 2024 to 2025, according to US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro on Tuesday.

Impact of President Trump’s Policies

Pirro credited President Trump’s crackdown on crime in DC for this decline. She noted a 59% increase in strangulation cases that her team is addressing.

“The story begins with the impact of President Trump’s executive order [on] making DC safe and beautiful,” Pirro stated during a press conference. “It is incredible.”

Data Comparison and Crime Trends

Her team explained that the comparison is between August-December 2024 and August-December 2025. This timeframe shows a more dramatic decline than comparing the full years of 2024 and 2025. During that full year, homicides fell 32% and total crime decreased 17%, according to data from DC’s Metropolitan Police Department.

The decline in crime followed a 30-year low in violent crime at the end of 2024. However, Pirro expressed skepticism about previous data.

Concerns About Crime Statistics

“As most of you know, there were some issues with the stats from MPD,” Pirro cautioned. She believes crime is down more than previously thought because the actual crime rate was higher than reported.

Last year, the GOP-led House Oversight Committee reported flaws in MPD’s crime data, alleging it undercounted various crimes.

Confidence in Current Crime Data

Pirro is confident in the recent crime numbers for 2025. “Next week, [we are] going over the MPD and working with them on all of the classifications of the crimes,” she said. “There is a new chief now. I am very comfortable with what’s happening.”

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser appointed Jeffery Carroll as the new interim Chief of Police for the MPD last month.

Addressing Domestic Violence

Pirro acknowledged the rise in strangulation cases. She emphasized the need to protect victims of domestic violence. “If a man puts a hand on your neck … you are in serious danger, and it is time to leave,” she stressed.

“If you have been the victim of a strangulation, there is an 800% chance that he will kill you. It is time to leave,” she added. She noted that strangulation was recently raised from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Nationwide Crime Trends

The decline in crime in DC aligns with a significant drop in crime nationwide. Experts expect the largest one-year fall in homicides recorded in US history.

Since last August, following the mugging of Edward Coristine, Trump has deployed the National Guard to patrol DC streets. There are currently over 2,000 National Guard troops stationed in DC, according to the Pentagon.

Prosecution Efforts and Future Goals

Trump briefly took control of the MPD and increased federal law enforcement personnel in DC. “We are prosecuting crime like never before in the District of Columbia,” Pirro stated. She noted that fewer than 10% of cases go unprosecuted now, compared to almost 70% previously.

Pirro aims to push the DC Council or Congress to allow tougher prosecution against juveniles and to repeal the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022.

She vowed to continue efforts to combat crime in 2026. “To the criminals who thought that DC was an easy target, those days are over,” she declared.