File photo: US President Donald Trump (Picture credit: PTI)
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he is working with congressional Republican leaders on what he described as a “comprehensive crime bill,” days after seizing control of Washington, DC’s police force and deploying National Guard troops with expanded powers.“Speaker Mike Johnson, and Leader John Thune, are working with me, and other Republicans, on a Comprehensive Crime Bill. It’s what our Country needs,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. In another post, he claimed, “Crime numbers are way down in DC! Amazing progress being made!” The announcement follows Trump’s extraordinary move earlier this month to take direct authority over policing in the nation’s capital, citing what he called a wave of lawlessness. He has since ordered the department of defense to ensure National Guard troops nationwide are ready to mobilise rapidly, and has threatened to extend deployments to other Democrat-led cities such as Baltimore and Chicago.On Monday, Trump told reporters he expected similar results if he moved next to Chicago. “We will solve Chicago within one week, maybe less, but within one week, we will have no crime in Chicago,” he said. Criminologists warn that while a federal show of force can lead to short-term gains, it does little to address deeply rooted problems. “He’s using the crime issue for political posturing and political gain,” said Jeffrey A. Butts, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, as quoted by The New York Times. Trump’s focus has drawn sharp criticism in Chicago, where local leaders and community groups argue that deploying federal troops would jeopardise progress. “It’s not a war zone. They’re vibrant, resilient communities where young people deserve opportunities and not intimidation,” said Bradly Johnson of BUILD Chicago, an anti-violence organisation, as per news agency AP.Despite criticism, the administration has touted early results in Washington, reporting 1,000 arrests and the seizure of 111 firearms since Trump’s takeover. The DC Police Union has also endorsed the move.
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