President Donald Trump declared Washington, D.C., “safe” and its restaurant scene “booming” on Tuesday as he addressed House Republicans at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, applauding the visible presence of U.S. soldiers he said has helped restore order to the nation’s capital.
Speaking as lawmakers gathered to begin discussions about the Republican agenda heading into 2026, Trump opened by paying tribute to Rep. Doug LaMalfa, whose death had been announced just hours earlier. The president then turned to what he described as major accomplishments over the past year, highlighting his decision to deploy the National Guard in Washington and federalize the city’s police force.
Trump told the assembled lawmakers that the changes have transformed daily life in the capital. He described the city as one of the safest in the country and said residents and visitors can now comfortably walk to restaurants that are thriving again after years of decline.
“You’re living in one of the safest cities in the country. It’s a great thing,” Trump said. He added that the restaurant industry had rebounded dramatically, noting that establishments that once faced closure are now bustling. “You can walk to the restaurants — restaurants were all booming. New restaurants — they were all closing! You wouldn’t have had a restaurant.”
The president lingered on the sight of uniformed soldiers stationed throughout the city, praising both their appearance and the sense of security they provide. Trump said the presence of the troops makes him feel safer walking the streets of Washington and argued that removing them would risk a return to higher crime levels.
“I don’t know about you, but to me those soldiers standing there look so good,” Trump said. “I’m not going to feel safe walking down the street without them. I don’t think you would either.” Even after major crackdowns on criminals, Trump said, the soldiers provide reassurance. “To me they’re beautiful. I look at these soldiers and you feel safe. You feel safe.”
Trump has repeatedly cited crime statistics as evidence that his intervention worked. He has described Washington as a “totally safe city” and last weekend claimed there had been no murders for “six, seven months.”
Recent data shows a significant drop in violent crime, though not quite to the level Trump described. According to Axios, violent crime in Washington, D.C., fell for the second straight year in 2025, extending a sharp decline from the city’s post-pandemic surge. Axios reported that homicides dropped 32% year over year, with 127 murders recorded in 2025 compared with 274 in 2023.
Overall violent crime declined 29%, driven largely by steep reductions in robberies and sex abuse, along with more modest decreases in assaults involving dangerous weapons. The outlet noted that while Trump’s claim of zero murders for several months was inaccurate — city data shows five homicides occurred in December alone — the broader trend still reflects a dramatic improvement in public safety.
For Trump, the numbers reinforce his argument that decisive federal action and a visible security presence can reverse years of disorder. As Republicans look ahead to the next election cycle, the president framed Washington’s turnaround as a model for restoring safety in American cities nationwide, crediting law enforcement, the National Guard, and what he called a renewed commitment to law and order.
