Just last month, former President Donald Trump claimed that Washington, D.C. has had a higher murder rate than some of the most murderous cities on earth. He pointed to these efforts in particular in Bogotá, Colombia and Mexico City. Crime data has painted a much more complicated, and often false, narrative of violence in the U.S. capital sparking debate over this assertion.
One year later, as Washington’s formerly soaring murder rate has leveled off, the rate has become a source of bitter dispute. According to the official data, the city has so far registered 187 murders this year. That would be a long way from the 274 homicides logged in 2023—the highest total in more than 20 years. This decrease is the equivalent of a 34% decrease in homicides per day of the year through July, per crime statistician Jeff Asher. Despite the decline, Trump’s comments have drawn attention to Washington’s violent crime rates, which he argues are alarming compared to Latin American capitals.
Trump stated, “The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogotá, Colombia, Mexico City, or some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on Earth. It’s much higher.” And indeed, his comments align with data from institutions such as Mexico’s INEGI and Panamá’s Office of the Public Prosecutor. …of the last 5 years, Washington has outpaced cities like Brasilia, Panama City and San José in homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.
Contrary to what Trump asserts, Washington’s violent crime rate for 2024 is one of the lowest in recent memory. In truth, it represents the second lowest rate recorded since 1966. This was the key takeaway from Mayor Muriel Bowser in a short press conference. She criticized overreaching federal intervention into local police departments. She eloquently declared that she wouldn’t “diminish the attack on the autonomy” of the district.
Under the Trump administration, the federal government essentially seized control of the Metropolitan Police Department. They sent the National Guard to address crime worries. He said he wanted to “liberate” Washington, D.C. from increasing crime and violence. Local leaders like Mayor Bowser have derided such moves as usurpation of city self-determination.
CNN reporter Daniel Dale fact-checked Trump on Washington’s rising homicide rates. Taking a step back reveals that the city continues to grapple with its crime storyline. By 2025, early reports show murders going even lower than those years, indicating long-term efforts to get safety back on track.
