Washington, 11 August 2025 (dpa/MIA) - US President Donald Trump said on Monday he wants to deploy the National Guard in Washington due to allegedly rampant crime in the US capital.

Trump said that the city's police should be placed under federal control. Initially, 800 National Guardsmen are to be deployed, and he said he would mobilize more forces if necessary.

The aim is to restore public safety. There is no evidence for Trump's claims that the situation in the capital is out of control, and a look at the crime statistics shows a decline in reported offences.

Police and prosecutors contradict Trump's portrayal

According to the local police, the number of violent crimes fell by a good quarter by early August this year compared to the previous year. The total number of all offences decreased by 7%. Also, between 2023 and 2024, the number of reported crimes fell.

The District of Columbia's prosecutor's office referred to 2024 as the year with the lowest rate of violent crimes in 30 years.

For weeks, Trump has been agitating against the homeless and criminals in the capital.

"The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY," Trump wrote on his social media site Truth Social late on Sunday, posting photos showing tents and litter along the roadside.

"We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don't have to move out. We're going to put you in jail where you belong."

Not first time National Guard deployed on Trump's orders

This is not the first time Trump has deployed the National Guard in a city. In June, the US President deployed a total of 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines from the regular armed forces in the Los Angeles area. Most of them have since been recalled.

The reason for the LA deployment was massive protests against the security forces from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The proportionality of the deployment is currently being contested in court.

The National Guard is a military reserve unit and part of the US armed forces. The states usually have control over the National Guard.

In the event of war or national emergencies, the US president can take command.

The National Guard is a military reserve unit and part of the US armed forces. It can be deployed in natural disasters, unrest and domestic emergencies.

According to previous reports, the US has more than 325,000 National Guardsmen.

Photo: EPA