Trump Admin Staffer ‘Big Balls’ Hailed As Hero After Musk Says He Saved Woman From ‘Gang’ In D.C.

A Trump administration staffer is receiving warm words and calls for recognition after he was reportedly beaten in Washington, D.C., while protecting a woman from an attempted carjacking.

The staffer, Ed Coristine, 19, who once went by the moniker “Big Balls” online, works at the Social Security Administration and began his government service as a member of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project. President Donald Trump shared a photo on Tuesday of Coristine covered in blood after the attack and threatened to “federalize” D.C. over rampant crime.

“I have to say that somebody from DOGE was very badly hurt last night. You saw that – a young man who was beat up by a bunch of thugs in DC,” said Trump on Tuesday. “Either they’re going to straighten their act out in terms of government and in terms of protection, or we’re going to have to federalize and run it the way it’s supposed to be run.”

.@POTUS: “Somebody from @DOGE was very badly hurt last night… a young man who was beat up by a bunch of thugs in D.C. Either they’re going to straighten their act out… or we’re going to have to federalize and run it the way it’s supposed to be run.” https://t.co/Z6Ywr9oYYX pic.twitter.com/yhg9mRfDaF

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 5, 2025

According to CBS News, the woman was Coristine’s “significant other.” The outlet reported that they were surrounded by about 10 teenagers, and the suspects made a comment about taking their vehicle. Coristine then pushed his significant other into the vehicle and turned to deal with the alleged attackers, the report said.

In a Truth Social post, the president said that crime in the nation’s capital is “totally out of control” and that the attack on Coristine was carried out by “local ‘youths’ and gang members.” Criminal teens are operating with impunity, “knowing that they will be almost immediately released.”

“The Law in D.C. must be changed to prosecute these ‘minors’ as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14,” said Trump. “Washington, D.C., must be safe, clean, and beautiful for all Americans and, importantly, for the World to see.”

The attack reportedly happened on Sunday morning around 3 a.m. near Dupont Circle. Police arrested two 15-year-olds at the scene and charged them with unarmored carjacking, according to CBS News. Most of the teens fled when law enforcement arrived. A black iPhone 16 was stolen, according to the police report.

Tech titan Elon Musk, the former head of DOGE, backed the president’s call to take over Washington, D.C. Musk also said Coristine was attacked trying to assist a woman who was the initial target of “a gang of about a dozen young men.”

“A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC. A [DOGE] team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her. It is time to federalize DC,” Musk posted.

Coristine has been hailed for his bravery. GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah floated the idea of rewarding Coristine with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor.

“Big Balls for the Medal of Freedom. Who agrees?” Lee posted to X.

“WOW. The [DOGE] employee who was brutally beaten in DC for defending a woman has been identified as none other than ‘BIG BALLS,’” the popular account Libs of TikTok posted. “Big Balls is a HERO!”