Vance Says D.C. Murders Down 35% After Federal Takeover, Signals Possible Extension

Vice President JD Vance said the federal takeover of policing in Washington, D.C. has cut murders by 35 percent and armed robberies by 55 percent in the nine days since President Donald Trump declared a public-safety emergency and placed the Metropolitan Police Department under temporary federal control. National Guard troops remain stationed at transit hubs and other high-traffic areas of the capital. In a Fox News interview on Wednesday, Vance rejected California Governor Gavin Newsom’s description of the move as an “abuse of power,” arguing that the rapid decline in violent crime shows the action is saving lives rather than asserting undue federal authority. “How is it a power grab when we have already reduced murders by a third in just over a week?” he said. The vice president added that the White House is prepared to seek congressional approval to extend federal control beyond the 30-day limit imposed by Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act if crime levels warrant it. “If the president believes additional time is needed to restore public safety, that’s exactly what he’ll pursue,” Vance said during a visit to Union Station. Vance also broadened his criticism to Democratic-led jurisdictions nationwide, contending that sanctuary-city policies “are killing people” by sheltering violent offenders and that Democrats “care more about low-wage foreigners than their own citizens.” The remarks underscore a wider administration campaign portraying Republican crime-control measures as a contrast with Democratic urban governance.