Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, and a teenage 'genius public servant' who played a key role in the Donald Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was assaulted by a group of young people in downtown Washington, D.C. In response, President Trump criticized the ineffectiveness of crime response in Washington, D.C.
On the 5th (local time), President Trump posted a photo of a young man covered in blood on Truth Social, stating, "Crime in Washington, D.C., is completely out of control," and added, "Young people and gang members, barely aged 14 to 16, are randomly attacking innocent citizens, committing robberies, maiming, and shooting people."
The man in the photo is Edward Koristin, 19, who was a DOGE employee and currently works in the Trump administration. Koristin has served as a senior advisor in various departments, including the Department of State's Information Technology (IT) Advisory, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Koristin was reportedly assaulted by 10 young people while attempting to prevent a carjacking in Washington, D.C., early on the 3rd.
President Trump stated, "The current crime rates, including robbery, murder, and all other crimes, are extremely serious. I will not leave it like this," adding, "I will probably deploy the National Guard very quickly."
He warned, "If Washington, D.C., does not act swiftly, the federal government will take control and operate this city."
Since successfully running for reelection, President Trump has vowed to eradicate the 'deep state' (unelected bureaucratic group) represented by Washington, D.C., positioning himself against the Democratic stronghold. He has particularly mentioned several times the possibility of the federal government reclaiming administrative authority in Washington, D.C.
The federal capital of the United States, Washington, D.C., has budget approval authority from Congress and ultimate governing authority from the federal government. However, it has limited self-governing rights under local laws, with the mayor and city council elected by voters.
The legal possibility of reclaiming administrative authority is known to be extremely low. For President Trump to gain control of the city administration, Congress would need to pass a bill to abolish the local law, which would then require the President's signature.