President Donald Trump claimed on Monday, that Washington, D.C., is “one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world,” citing a 2023 homicide rate of 41 per 100,000 people and comparing it to cities like Bogotá, Colombia, and Mexico City.
He made these statements during a press conference announcing a federal takeover of D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department and the deployment of National Guard troops, framing the city as plagued by “bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor.” However, data from multiple sources paints a more nuanced picture, contradicting the severity of his claims.
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| Boston Globe Graphics |
Homicide and Crime Rates in D.C.2023 Data: Trump’s cited homicide rate of 41 per 100,000 is slightly exaggerated; the actual 2023 rate was 39.4 per 100,000, according to the Rochester Institute of Technology. This was high, ranking D.C. fourth among U.S. cities behind St. Louis, New Orleans, and Detroit, but not the highest globally. The Igarapé Institute reported 49 cities worldwide, including three capital cities (Cape Town, South Africa; Kingston, Jamaica; and Caracas, Venezuela), had higher homicide rates in 2023.
2024 Decline: Violent crime in D.C. dropped significantly, with a 35% reduction from 2023 to 2024, hitting a 30-year low, per the Department of Justice. The homicide rate fell to 27.3 per 100,000, with 187 homicides compared to 274 in 2023.
2025 Trends: As of August 2025, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) data shows homicides down 12% (99 vs. 112 year-to-date in 2024), violent crime down 26%, and carjackings down 37%. Other crimes, like robbery (-28%) and assault with a dangerous weapon (-20%), also declined.
Juvenile Crime: Trump and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pir Pirro emphasized youth crime, particularly carjackings, with 50% of 2024 carjacking arrests involving juveniles. Juvenile arrests rose slightly (~1%) in 2025, but overall crime continues to decline. A citywide youth curfew implemented in July 2025 aims to curb this issue.Global Context: Trump’s comparison to Bogotá (15.2 per 100,000) and Mexico City (10 per 100,000) in 2024 is accurate for those cities’ lower rates, but his claim that D.C. is “No. 1” globally is false. Cities like St. Louis (40.6 per 100,000) and others far exceed D.C.’s 2024 rate. WorldAtlas ranks D.C. 69th among the 100 most dangerous cities globally based on overall crime, with U.S. cities like Detroit and Chicago ranking higher.
Public Perception: Despite declining crime, a 2024 Washington Post poll found 65% of D.C. residents view crime as “extremely serious” or “very serious,” possibly fueling Trump’s narrative despite data showing improvement.