Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a recent podcast interview that he walks around Washington, D.C., "all the time" and "feels perfectly safe," dismissing Republican assertions that the capital has become too dangerous. Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin countered that view on Fox News, conceding he regularly violates the District’s seat-belt law—punishable by a $50 fine—so he can exit his Jeep quickly if carjacked. Mullin argued that if the city were treated as a state, its car-theft rate would be roughly triple the national average, although official data show carjackings have eased since a 2023 spike. The contrasting remarks underscore a widening partisan split over public safety in the capital. Their exchange follows President Donald Trump’s decision this week to deploy 800 National Guard members and assume direct control of the Metropolitan Police Department, actions the White House says are necessary to curb violent crime.
Chuck Schumer says he feels ‘perfectly safe’ walking around DC https://t.co/ASag0QpKrg
Q: "A lot of... your Republican colleagues say they are very scared to walk around DC." Chuck Schumer: "I walk around all the time... and I feel perfectly safe." https://t.co/MqJmJxjcMl
Sen. Markwayne Mullin said he's totally "not joking" about this bonkers driving habit. https://t.co/LV10drIwmp