Megan McArdle: Trump's D.C. Takeover Is Just the Beginning

How bad is crime and disorder in Washington, D.C.? Just asking questions.

Local crime became a national issue following the assault of Edward Coristine—a former staffer at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) who is also known as “Big Balls”—during an alleged carjacking. Trump reacted on Truth Social, saying, “Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control” and promised to “exert my powers, and FEDERALIZE this City” following the assault. The capital is now occupied by members of the National Guard, and Trump has said that although they are starting with D.C., “this will go further” and named other cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Baltimore.

Some Democrats, like Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D–Md.), have said Trump is exaggerating.

Megan McArdle, a D.C. resident and Washington Post columnist, says Democrats are wrong to downplay the city’s crime problem and general public disorder. She thinks the failures of Democratic governance and the police pullback following the 2020 George Floyd protests have created an atmosphere of public support for Trump’s actions, and she fears that the appetite for more federal intervention that pushes the limits of the Constitution will only grow stronger if politicians fail to confront these problems in their cities.

It’s a challenging conversation between three people who care about civil liberties and rule of law, as well as safety and the protection of property. We don’t want to demonize police, nor do we want to let them abuse their power. We don’t want criminals to wreck our cities, nor do we want to lock up delinquent teens—like the ones who allegedly assaulted Big Balls—and throw away the key. We don’t want lawlessness, nor militarized police operating under permanent emergency powers.

How to properly balance all of these concerns is, perhaps, the political question of our time. And we hope this discussion is a step toward providing some answers to it.

0:00—Introduction

1:31—Martial law in D.C.

01:52—The assault that sparked a national conversation

02:33—Crime trends in Washington, D.C.

06:50—The impact of crime on quality of life

10:04—Comparative crime rates: D.C. vs. other cities

13:56—The role of disorder in urban crime

17:41—The complexities of policing and community trust

22:00—Federal intervention in local policing

27:59—The challenges of D.C.’s criminal justice system

36:17—Gun ownership and legal barriers

40:10—The disconnect in gun legislation and crime rates

43:18—Federal law enforcement and military policing

47:05—The governance structure of D.C. and its implications

51:07—Public perception of crime and political responses

56:59—The need for a balanced approach to crime

01:11:18—Cognitive biases and self-reflection

Mentioned in the podcast:

Trump’s post on Truth Social: “Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control”

“D.C. Has a Real Crime Problem. Federal Control Won’t Solve It,” by Meghan McArdle

Violent crime in D.C. Hits 30 Year Low, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office

Department of Homeland Security memo, obtained by The New Republic

The Injustice of Policing in America, by Christoper Lewis and Adaner Usmani

“What everyone is getting wrong about crime in DC,“ by Charles Fain Lehman

• Producer: John Osterhoudt

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Source: https://reason.com/podcast/2025/08/21/megan-mcardle-trumps-d-c-takeover-is-just-the-beginning/