Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who is a Democrat, has shifted her stance regarding President Trump’s decision to mobilize the National Guard to address crime in the city, emphasizing that residents must take an active role in safeguarding their community and its governance.
This significant change in Bowser’s viewpoint emerged shortly after she began to back Trump’s measures to support the crime-plagued capital during a confusing time for the party just ahead of the 2026 election.
“This is a critical moment for the community to step up; we should all contribute in our own ways to protect our city, safeguard local rules, and work through the challenges posed by this administration,” she stated, as reported by CNN.
Initially, Bowser appeared receptive to the deployment of the National Guard; she noted that she was collaborating with the Trump administration under the relevant regulations. “He seems genuinely invested in neighborhood crime issues,” she told MSNBC before Trump formally announced his plans.
On Tuesday, she expressed a desire to see how the additional law enforcement support could be leveraged effectively during a media briefing.
Under Trump’s directive, the local police force will be reinforced by personnel from various federal agencies, including the Border Patrol and the FBI, among others.
Later, Bowser pointed out that the operational focus for these additional federal agents would largely restrict them to federal properties, including the National Mall. “I anticipate they will primarily provide security for federal parks and buildings, although that could change,” she mentioned in a conversation with local community leaders.
National Guard troops were seen in the streets of D.C. on Tuesday afternoon.
So far, only a small portion of the estimated 800 National Guard members designated for this initiative has been deployed, with further developments expected in the coming days, as noted by Department of Defense officials.
Trump has increased the federal presence in D.C., reinforcing the National Guard and assigning additional federal officers to assist the city’s police in combatting crime.
Recent statistics rank D.C. as having the fourth-highest homicide rate among U.S. cities in 2024, a troubling statistic from the Center for Public Safety Initiatives at Rochester Institute of Technology. This rate is reportedly six times higher than New York City’s in the same year, which recorded 4.7 murders per 100,000 people, and is four times that of Los Angeles, at 7.2 per 100,000.
