Shocking video footage has captured the moment a man is tackled to the ground by police officers, tasered and arrested outside the White House in broad daylight, as onlookers watch with concern.
The arrest comes amid President Donald Trump's unprecedented announcement that his administration would take control of the Washington DC police department and deploy the National Guard for at least a month, promising a round-the-clock presence of local and federal law enforcement in the city. The White House reported 45 arrests in the city last night, including 29 people living in the country illegally, and said more than 1,650 people are now involved in the law enforcement operation.
During a press briefing at the White House on Thursday, Trump ranted about crime in Washington, claiming it's the "worst it's ever been". It comes as Donald Trump 'glitches' as he speaks in Oval Office ahead of Putin summit.
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Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson clarified that while the National Guard can temporarily detain individuals while assisting law enforcement, they do not have the power of arrest. Trump's new measures also include clearing homeless encampments and relocating residents far from the city, although details of the plan remain unclear.
Local officials have already started some of the work themselves, aiming to provide stronger social services to those being displaced. During a White House briefing today, Trump claimed that crime in Washington is the "worst it's ever been," calling the situation "tragic" and describing it as an "epidemic."
The briefing, held to mark the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act, also saw Trump pledge to protect Social Security, boast about "ending Biden's inflation nightmare," and highlight the hundreds of billions in tariffs collected on goods.
When asked about his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska tomorrow, Trump said it will "save a lot of lives." He said an even "more important" meeting - with Putin, Zelensky, and possibly European leaders - will follow. "We'll see if they can get along," he said of the leaders, adding that he believes the pair can "make peace."
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Washington DC slammed Trump's takeover as an "authoritarian push" as National Guard troops flooded the capital. Democrat mayor Muriel Bowser slammed Mr Trump over his crime crackdown as the US military prepares to patrol the district's streets after the Republican president branded the capital a "lawless" city.
Speaking about the move on Tuesday night, she said: "This is a time when the community needs to jump in. To protect our city, to protect our autonomy, to protect our home rule. 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."
The mayor's combative stance comes after she branded the takeover as "unprecedented," although she admitted she was not "totally surprised." The National Guard arrived in the US capital at about 8pm on Tuesday after Trump said he wanted to curb violent crime in the city.
Trump activated the national guard following an attempted carjacking involving DOGE employee Edward Coristine, who was beaten while trying to protect a woman. His comments are a stark contrast to his previous responses to crime in Washington DC. Following his inauguration, Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 people convicted or awaiting trio for the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots with more than 600 having been convicted or pleading guilty to assault, or obstructing law enforcement and 170 of having used a deadly weapon.
National Guard troops have been seen in the capital with a master sergeant telling The New York Times military Humvees parked on the National Mall was part of a "presence patrol." The Washington Post said Pentagon documents said there could be 600 troops on the ground within a single hour anywhere in the US should they be given approval.
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