WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 04: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

President Donald Trump's federal takeover of law enforcement in Washington, D.C. is inspiring angry protests in the U.S. capital. Trump claims that violent crime is out of control in the city, but critics are responding that in fact, violent crime is way down in Washington.

In a biting article published on August 25, Salon's Amanda Marcotte stresses that Trump's "federal takeover of Washington" isn't really about public safety but rather, reflects the president's culture-war obsessions.

"Critics have noted that the troops and agents have been concentrated in low-crime tourist areas, mostly ignoring high-crime neighborhoods where they could actually help," Marcotte observes. "City officials have pointed out the city's crime rate was already at a 30-year low. Polls show that, far from feeling secure, most D.C. residents say Trump's actions make them feel less safe. People are so afraid that local restaurants have reported plummeting reservations, as frightened folks stay at home rather than deal with bored and angry law enforcement."

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Marcotte adds, "As usual, the White House's response is to lie about all of this. Trump and his goons say restaurant traffic is up, which is hilariously false."

Trump's desire to "terrorize the innocent people of D.C.," according to Marcotte, isn't motivated by a desire to "fight crime."

"What's remarkable here is both red and blue America seem, for once, to agree on the facts: that this takeover is a power grab by Trump, the representative of incurious, racist America, and that its main purpose is to punish D.C. residents for being more cosmopolitan and liberal," Marcotte argues. "The only dispute is over whether abusing people for perceived sophistication (is) a good thing. Blue America feels it's not a crime to be the kind of people who read books, listen to songs released after 1985 or eat something other than an overcooked hamburger on occasion. Red America is in full 'lock 'em up' mode."

Marcotte continues, "Even the Smithsonian has become wrapped up in Trump's D.C. takeover, which is further proof that the president's actions aren't geared toward stopping crime. Last week, Trump whined on Truth Social that the museum has exhibitions on 'how bad Slavery was' and features 'Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.'"

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Trump, according to Marcotte, resents the fact that Washington, D.C. is a "real city full of people."

"It's not Patriot Disneyland for people who are mad they can't find the Applebee's among all the Ethiopian joints," the Salon journalist writes. "That's the 'crime' Trump is so mad about, which is why he's also pushing for $2 billion to 'have this place beautified' — a terrifying proposition for anyone who has witnessed his love of plastering everything with cheap gold paint."

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Amanda Marcotte's full article is available at this link.