FBI Director Kash Patel has vowed that his agency will not let up on Washington, D.C.’s crime crisis until every community in the nation’s capital is secure.
Patel is crediting President Donald Trump’s leadership for empowering law enforcement.
In a Wednesday post on X, Patel reported that 550 people have been arrested in D.C. since Trump moved to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Of those arrests, 66 took place on Tuesday alone.
Patel said the FBI was directly involved in 41 arrests Tuesday night, which included eight drug seizures and the recovery of six illegal firearms.
“The men and women of the FBI, working side by side with our local law enforcement partners, have taken hundreds of dangerous criminals off the streets of Washington, D.C.,” Patel said in a statement.
“This is proof of what happens when good cops are empowered to do their jobs the right way.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re bringing historic resources to this fight because crime in our nation’s capital is unacceptable – and we will continue until every community is safe.”
The White House confirmed Tuesday’s operations resulted in 91 arrests overall, including 25 illegal immigrants with criminal histories ranging from burglary and destruction of property to threats of kidnapping.
Attorney General Pam Bondi also highlighted the success of the operation.
Bomdi noted that federal and local officers arrested an MS-13 gang member with prior drug and DWI convictions on Monday night.
“At the direction of [President Donald Trump], our nation’s capital is a SAFER place—and we are just getting started,” Bondi posted on X.
“52 arrests were made last night, including an MS-13 gang member, and 9 firearms were taken off the streets.
“Since our mission began, there have been a total of 465 arrests, 68 guns seized, and charges for homicide, narcotics, and firearm offenses.
“Nearly half of these arrests occurred in the high-crime areas of D.C.
“Residents and tourists alike appreciate this extraordinary effort by our D.C. and Federal law enforcement partners.”
The Department of Justice, meanwhile, announced Tuesday that it is investigating whether D.C. officials manipulated crime statistics to downplay the city’s violence.
President Trump criticized the city’s leadership directly, writing on Truth Social:
“D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety.”
In response, the FBI said it would begin releasing updated crime data monthly, rather than through less frequent updates.
Washington’s Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser has sharply opposed Trump’s move to federalize the MPD.
During an August 12 town hall, Bowser called the president’s actions an “authoritarian push.”
Bowser urged voters to elect a Democrat House majority to serve as a “backstop.”
“This is a time where community needs to jump in,” Bowser said.
“We all need to…protect our city and to protect our autonomy, to protect our home rule, and get to the other side of this guy, and make sure we elect a Democratic House so that we have a backstop to this authoritarian push.”
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