Requests for paid protesters in Washington, D.C. have surged by 400% following President Donald Trump’s decision to federalize the city’s police force. A crowd-rental company reported this sharp increase, noting that the majority of attendees at political events in the capital are compensated in some manner. Concurrently, left-wing dark-money donors, including George Soros, have contributed over $20 million to groups organizing protests against Trump’s crackdown on crime in D.C. This trend has led to a rise in the so-called 'rent-a-mob' industry, which has become one of the fastest-growing sectors in the city, providing protest crowds on demand.