D.C. U.S. Attorney Defends Federal Police Takeover Amid Crime Data Dispute

U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro fiercely defended the Trump administration's takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployment of the National Guard to combat violent crime in the capital, rejecting claims that crime has significantly decreased. Despite Metropolitan Police Department data showing a 35% decline in violent crime since 2024, Pirro dismissed these statistics as irrelevant to victims and families affected by recent violent incidents, including the killing of congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym and other brutal attacks. She emphasized that resources are being aggressively deployed on the streets and criticized reporters who suggested the administration had shifted its stance on public safety or cut funding to gun violence prevention programs. While FBI statistics indicate a 10% drop in violent crime since 2024, they show crime remains slightly above 2018 levels, contrasting with MPD's narrower data scope. Pirro's remarks underline the administration's commitment to restoring law and order amid ongoing violent crimes and political criticism of the federal intervention in D.C. policing.