The Silent Majority Is Applauding

The silent majority in Washington, D.C., and across our nation is applauding. Even one crime is one crime too many.

On Aug. 11, President Donald Trump, invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act passed by the United States Congress, declared a “crime emergency in the District of Columbia” and ordered the deployment of 800 National Guard troops, 200 of whom are earmarked to assist Washington law enforcement, to the city. The president named Attorney General Pam Bondi and Drug Enforcement Agency Administrator Terry Cole to work with the Metropolitan Police Department.

The Washington Police Union is cheering. It cited major management and staffing shortages, including over 800 vacancies in the 3,100-officer department. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, an unapologetic law-and-order mayor, questioned the move as “unsettling and unprecedented,” underscoring her support for Washington statehood.

Trump assailed the nation’s capital as “one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world.” He proclaimed it was Washington’s “Liberation Day” from “crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor.” He insinuated that juveniles were “randomly attacking” citizens and called for laws to allow minors as young as 14 to be prosecuted as adults and punished by unforgiving sentences.

Data shows violent crime in Washington, declining by 35% in 2024 compared to the previous year—with homicides down 12% and robberies plunging 28%. But the numbers do not equate with safety. Since at least the 1980s, Washington has led the charts in homicides per 100,000 people. Second place has never come within shouting distance. That is why ordinary people are silently exultant. That is why you will never witness a full-blown demonstration in Washington protesting Trump’s directive.

Democrats were undisturbed when California Gov. Gavin Newsom in November of 2023 cleaned up the streets and moved the homeless out prior to a meeting in San Francisco between Chinese President Xi Jinping and then-President Joe Biden. Trump’s action is indistinguishable. Washington frequently hosts foreign leaders like Xi. Ambassadors and foreign dignitaries populate the city. It is commonly the venue for summits and major public events or celebrations.

The Constitution is unambiguous. Pursuant to Article I, Section 8, Clause 17, the District of Columbia is under the control of Congress, including the Home Rule Act. Trump acted under the aegis of Congress in declaring a crime emergency and summoning the National Guard—squeaky clean initiatives by any measure.

Holding juveniles accountable for their crimes and offenses means that you teach them to take responsibility for their actions and accept the consequences of what they’ve done. Accountability teaches teenagers and kids integrity, honesty, good decision-making skills and respect for others, and it gives them a stronger sense of self-worth and true self-esteem.

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