Federal officials overseeing the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force announced that the program will continue and that the Pentagon is preparing to keep the National Guard deployed in Washington, D.C., for the remainder of President Trump’s term. The administration highlighted an overall crime reduction and a series of enforcement results it says were produced in the year since the task force launched.
Officials point to large-scale arrests and declines in major crimes
According to figures publicized by federal and District officials, the Metropolitan Police Department’s data show an overall crime decline of 20%. The task force is also reporting specific drops in categories that concern residents and law enforcement: homicides down 32%, robberies down 15% and motor vehicle thefts down 53%.
Federal agencies credited a combined enforcement effort for the numbers. The U.S. Marshals Service said the task force has made more than 16,000 arrests, including 35 homicide suspects, more than 100 known gang members and more than 3,200 people on narcotics charges. Officials also reported seizing nearly 2,000 illegal firearms and locating 25 missing children who were returned to their families.
“I think the key to driving down crime is staying on it, prosecuting the cases that need to be prosecuted, and getting on the investigation, doing good constitutional policing and good investigations,” said Gadyaces S. Serralta, director of the U.S. Marshals Service.
National Guard presence and operational footprint
Photos and agency statements distributed earlier this year noted that about 2,500 National Guard members had been assigned to what officials described as the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission, assisting the Metropolitan Police Department in patrols and other public-safety operations. The administration now says the Pentagon is preparing for the Guard to remain in place through President Trump’s current term.
That extended federal presence has generated debate among local leaders, civil liberties advocates and residents about the long-term role of military and federal law enforcement in District neighborhoods. The task force framed its work as a targeted, coordinated law-enforcement operation designed to identify and remove violent offenders, gang members and illegal firearms from the streets.
- Arrests: More than 16,000 reported by the U.S. Marshals Service.
- Firearms seized: Nearly 2,000 illegal guns recovered.
- Children located: 25 missing children reunited with families.
Numbers at a glance
| Metric | Reported Change / Total |
|---|---|
| Overall crime | -20% |
| Homicides | -32% |
| Robbery | -15% |
| Car theft | -53% |
| Arrests (task force) | 16,000+ |
| Illegal firearms seized | Nearly 2,000 |
Officials did not provide a full public breakdown of how many arrests or seizures occurred in specific neighborhoods or how duties are divided between federal personnel and the Metropolitan Police Department. Local officials and community organizations have previously pressed for transparency on operational details and for clarity about how federal resources are being used alongside District policing.
Costs and longer-term arrangements
Earlier reporting tied National Guard deployments to substantial costs. A separate evaluation cited by officials estimates that continuing the Guard presence into 2029 could cost roughly $1.4 billion. The current announcement focuses on maintaining deployment through the remainder of the president’s term; it did not lay out a funding plan or specific timelines for drawdown beyond that point.
Residents and local leaders will be watching how the extended deployment affects daily life, public safety and police-community dynamics. Advocates for criminal-justice reform and civil liberties groups have urged that extended federal enforcement be coupled with investments in prevention, community-based services and clear accountability measures.
The administration framed the task force’s work as an ongoing federal commitment to reduce violent crime and remove illegal weapons from the District. As preparations continue for an extended National Guard presence, questions remain about operational transparency, cost and how the effort will coordinate with local policing priorities moving forward.
