President Donald Trump announced during a White House press conference on Monday, August 11th, that he will urge Congress to pass legislation to abolish the “no-cash bail” reform implemented in cities like Chicago and New York as part of his strategy to combat violent crime.
Trump emphasized, “All places that have implemented no-cash bail policies nationwide are a disaster.” He stated that the Department of Justice will draft corresponding legislation and called on Republican colleagues in both houses to advance this bill.
Washington federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro also called for more juvenile offenders to be held criminally accountable during the press conference. She criticized the current juvenile justice procedures as too lenient, stating, “I can’t arrest them, I can’t indict them. They get sent to family court, attend yoga and arts and crafts classes.” Pirro stressed that this situation needs to change.
No-cash bail policies are typically regulated by state laws, and in recent years, many state governments have pushed for reforms aiming to replace cash bail with supervised pretrial release to reduce racial and economic disparities. However, conservatives argue that this measure has fueled an increase in crime rates.
In the same press conference, President Trump also announced that Washington D.C. will enter a “crime emergency state” and placed the Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control to address the rising crime rate in the district.
According to the White House statement, the federal government will deploy approximately 800 National Guard members to assist law enforcement agencies in Washington D.C. and assign special agents from federal agencies such as the FBI and DEA to participate in enforcement actions.
House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Trump’s “crime-fighting” efforts on social media, stating, “House Republicans support this initiative to clean up Washington, end the crime wave, and restore the beauty of this world’s greatest capital.”
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer pledged to push for related legislation and plans to hold a hearing in September.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune thanked Trump for his leadership and stated, “Washington D.C. should be a place where people can live, work, visit, and raise families safely, and today’s announcement is a key step towards that goal.”
In the early hours of August 3rd, a high-profile attack occurred in Washington D.C., drawing nationwide attention. Edward Coristine, 19, a former employee of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and current special employee of the Social Security Administration, who is a software engineer, was attacked by a group of teenagers who tried to carjack and beat him near Logan Circle in Washington D.C. while he was preparing to drive home with his girlfriend, resulting in a concussion and the theft of his phone. Two 15-year-old suspects have been arrested, and others involved are being pursued.
Trump expressed strong concern over this violent attack. Last Wednesday, he harshly criticized the incident on the social media platform Truth Social, describing the security situation in Washington as “completely out of control.”
He condemned the recent random violence, robberies, and even shootings committed by 14 to 16-year-olds and gang members in Washington. Due to lenient laws and the “no-cash bail” policy, suspects are often quickly released, making crime unchecked. He called for legislative changes to allow suspects aged 14 and above to be prosecuted as adults and for long-term imprisonment of serious offenders.