Nearly half of non-immigration-related arrests during President Trump's D.C. takeover have taken place in two of the most crime-ridden areas, according to an analysis the White House shared with Axios.

Why it matters: The figures refute critics who claimed the takeover was all for show or was not targeting high-crime areas, per a White House official who crunched the numbers this weekend.

The big picture: Trump's D.C. takeover is unprecedented, as is the use of White House staff to analyze metropolitan crime data.

• Images of National Guard troops patrolling touristy areas, protesters chanting at police and masked agents arresting people on the streets have dominated headlines and chatter on social media for days.

By the numbers: 212 people have been arrested for various crimes during the federal takeover since Aug. 8, according to White House data that excludes all immigration-related arrests.

• 101 of those arrests, or 48%, took place in Wards 7 and 8, home to many low-income and working-class majority-Black neighborhoods of Washington. They have long experienced the most violent crime in the city.
• There were 24 gun-related charges in Ward 8, and 11 in Ward 7.
• Altogether, there were 31 narcotics-related charges, seven DUIs, and two assaults.
• Meanwhile, immigration-related arrests since Aug. 8 total 164.

What they're saying: Throughout the city, National Guard troops are stationed in "high traffic areas to provide a visible law enforcement presence to deter crime," the White House official said.

• The White House declined to release information about where officers and troops were specifically stationed, or crime data for other individual wards.
• The official pulled the crime data in response to critics and the Washington Post's reporting that tracked federal law enforcement whereabouts, using verified social media posts and reporters' observations. The outlet reported more law enforcement presence downtown in areas with lower crime rates than in Wards 7 and 8.

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Trump says D.C. restaurants are "busier than they've been in a long time" — but industry data and local business owners tell a different story.

Why it matters: Trump's claim yesterday clashes with real-time OpenTable data and restaurateur accounts that reflect a sharp dip since his federal enforcement began.

Catch up quick: Trump, during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said friends — even Democrats — told him they feel safe dining out again.

Reality check: D.C. restaurant reservations on OpenTable have seen the steepest dip among 20 big cities so far this August, per state of the industry data, first reported by WUSA9.

• Last Monday, when Trump announced the takeover, D.C. saw a 16% drop in seated diners compared to 2024.
• They fell by 31% last Wednesday, as law enforcement mobilized, from last year. They're down 22%, as of Monday.
• By comparison, Aug. 8 — before Trump's announcement — saw a 19% increase in seated diners over last year.

Between the lines: D.C.'s Restaurant Week kicked off Monday — a bellwether of diner confidence.

• Several restaurateurs tell Axios business is still sluggish.
• "There's no uptick," Rasika restaurateur Ashok Bajaj tells Axios. "I don't know whether it's the National Guard or soft economy. They just didn't pick up."

What we're hearing: One DMV restaurateur, who spoke with Axios anonymously because he feared for his staff, said since the start of Trump's federal takeover, D.C. business has dropped while their suburban locations held steady.

• The restaurateur said their immigrant employees are scared to come to work due to ICE crackdowns and aggressive detentions.
• And in heavy enforcement areas like 14th Street, some restaurant traffic has crashed. One owner says Saturday business saw a sharp drop after a checkpoint and detentions nearby.

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❌ Parts of the Anacostia River are off limits after a sewer overflow caused the release of about 6,200 gallons of untreated wastewater. Warnings were posted on the riverbank against fishing, boating or swimming (which, even in normal times, is a yucky idea). (WTOP)

🛫 Flights resumed at National Airport yesterday after a fire alarm in the control tower halted traffic between 10:45am and noon. The FAA didn't give a cause for the alarm going off, though it said there wasn't a fire. (AP)

🏁 In other traffic news, European leaders, including Zelensky, rolled into D.C. yesterday, with road closures reported on the Key Bridge and backups in Georgetown. (ArlNow)

CLEAR and TSA are piloting biometric "eGates" at DCA ahead of a nationwide rollout, the identity verification company told Axios exclusively.

Driving the news: The pilot begins next week at DCA.

• Only CLEAR+ members can opt-in to eGates.

How it works: Travelers step into an eGate that conducts real-time biometric verification, matching a traveler's face to their ID and boarding pass.

• TSA keeps full operational control, from triggering gate access to vetting security, CLEAR said.
• Once cleared, passengers move directly to screening and bypass the TSA podium.
• CLEAR+ is an opt-in service that typically costs $209 a year and expedites the identity verification process at the checkpoint using biometrics.

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