D.C. residents flood social media to counter Trump's crime claims
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A new TikTok trend is taking off in D.C. following President Trump's federal takeover, with locals posting their "love letters" to the District.
Why it matters: Crime in D.C. has become a national talking point, and some residents are trying to flip the script.
The big picture: Trump earlier this week said the District has "been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people" — a depiction some locals disagree with.
- Meanwhile, violent crime is declining in D.C., as are homicides — although the latter is still higher than it was a decade ago.
State of play: TikTokers are sharing images of what they love about the city over background audio of Trump's claims that D.C. is teeming with crime.
- Some X users began posting lists of "Things I'm Actually Scared of as a D.C. Resident," sharing tongue-in-cheek answers like "Exiting Northwest Stadium," "Whitlows" and "middle school tour groups."
Meanwhile, some residents made their opinions known offline via protests against Trump's takeover.
- And messages to "Free D.C." are popping up across town.
Yes, but: Others are sharing their experiences with crime in the city, and making the case that additional steps are necessary to tackle it.
Reality check: While fewer D.C. residents are concerned about crime this year than in the previous two years, 50% still say it's an "extremely/very serious" problem, according to a Washington Post/Schar School poll released in May.
- 41% say it's a "moderately serious" issue.
- Black and low-income respondents reported being more concerned about crime than white and higher-income respondents.