National Guard tackles DC trash more than crime

National Guard members deployed to Washington D.C. under President Trump's crime initiative have been photographed performing trash cleanup duties in Lafayette Park.

A viral clip on social media shows uniformed troops wearing safety vests while picking up litter near the White House, contrasting sharply with Trump's recent declaration that the deployment demonstrates his ability to do anything.

The administration has stated it plans to dispatch similar federal forces to other states.

The peaceful cleanup scene unfolds against new data showing crime in the nation's capital has actually dropped to a 30-year low under President Biden's administration.

Critics argue President Trump is targeting the majority-Black city with a Black mayor to divert attention from the ongoing Epstein scandal.

A grand jury rejected the Justice Department's case on August 26, 2025, against a former DOJ employee who threw a ham sandwich at a federal agent, refusing to indict him despite Attorney General Jeanine Pirro's personal involvement in pursuing felony charges.

In addition to that, Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui dismissed charges against a Black resident stopped for wearing a backpack, calling it "the most illegal search I've ever seen in my life.