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The Justice Department has sharply criticized the District of Columbia Council for what it called “politically motivated demands” and “impotent theatrics” after council members petitioned state governors to withdraw their National Guard deployments from the nation’s capital. Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald characterized the council’s letters as lacking truthfulness about public safety improvements achieved since the Trump administration launched its Safe and Beautiful initiative in Washington last August.
FBI Director Kash Patel reported to Fox News Digital that homicides in the District have plummeted 44 percent compared to the previous year, following the deployment of hundreds of federal agents and National Guard personnel. The Safe and Beautiful Task Force credited with the crime reduction has also conducted thousands of arrests, recovered missing children, and confiscated numerous illegal firearms, according to Justice Department statements.
In his pointed response, McDonald rejected the council’s assertion that it held authority over the governors’ troops. He defended the National Guard members as “true American heroes” while accusing the council of slandering them as “outside military forces” and urged the council to focus instead on reforming local criminal justice laws.
The D.C. Council’s letters, sent in late July to 20 governors and Puerto Rico’s leadership, requested full troop withdrawal by September 1, 2026. The council argued that approximately 5,148 Guard personnel were deployed at a cost exceeding $3 million daily, with only modest decreases in property crime and no measurable reduction in violent crime attributable to their presence.
Council members contended that the deployment represented wasteful spending at a time when families nationwide struggle with basic necessities. They acknowledged the National Guard’s role during America 250 anniversary events but requested troops return home once principal event-related needs concluded on September 1, 2026.
The Justice Department responded on social media that it would “continue standing with” President Trump and the task force to deliver results for District residents and visitors. Fox News Digital sought comment from D.C. Council representatives regarding the department’s rebuke.
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