Residents of Washington D.C. express feelings of diminished safety following Trump's assumption of power, according to a survey.
DC Residents Express Mixed Feelings About Trump's Control of Police Department
A recent poll conducted by The Washington Post-Schar School reveals that the opinions of DC residents regarding President Donald Trump's decision to take control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) are divided, with many expressing skepticism about the move's effectiveness and necessity [1].
On August 11, 2025, Trump invoked section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, giving the MPD direct federal control and deploying the National Guard to the city in an effort to restore law and order, citing escalating violent crime as the justification [1][3]. However, media reports suggest that the official crime statistics showed a decline in violent crime starting in 2023, prior to Trump’s takeover, leading to questions about the accuracy of the administration’s portrayal of rampant crime [1].
Key findings from the poll include:
- A 79% majority of DC residents oppose Trump's order to take control of the city's police department [1].
- 69% of those who oppose the order are strongly opposed [1].
- 65% of DC residents do not believe Trump's actions will reduce the amount of violent crime in the city [1].
- 54% of DC residents believe the problem of crime in the city is improving (up from 29% this spring) [1].
Despite the controversy surrounding Trump's decision, 50% of DC residents think Mayor Muriel Bowser should be doing more to oppose the president [1]. Additionally, a 71% majority of DC residents think DC police should not help the federal government much or at all to deport undocumented immigrants living in the city [1].
The poll also found that 70% of DC residents believe stricter national gun laws would help to reduce violent crime, while 63% believe an increased number of Metropolitan Police officers patrolling communities would also be beneficial [1]. Other strategies, such as using outreach workers to resolve disputes, are supported by 57% of DC residents [1].
In terms of safety, 61% of residents who have noticed the increased federal presence feel less safe as a result of Trump’s action [1]. However, 54% of DC residents say that DC police are doing a good or excellent job [1].
The poll was conducted August 14-17 and surveyed 604 DC residents through a combination of live phone interviews and online surveys. Results for the full sample have a margin of error of +/- 4.1 percentage points [1].
Trump's overall job approval rating among all DC residents is 15% [1]. This is a stark contrast to the 53% rating Bowser maintains, which is unchanged from a May survey [1].
In conclusion, while the Trump administration asserts that federal control over the DC police has already reduced crime significantly, many DC residents and observers remain cautious or critical, noting inconsistencies between official crime data trends and the administration’s stated crisis. The federal takeover remains controversial within the city.
[1] The Washington Post-Schar School poll, August 14-17, 2025. [2] White House statement on Trump's decision to take control of the MPD, August 11, 2025. [3] CNN report on Trump's decision to take control of the MPD, August 11, 2025.
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