Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Sunday that federal and DC law enforcement authorities arrested 68 people overnight in Washington DC, as part of a federal crackdown on crime ordered by President Trump.

“Over 300 arrests in DC — and counting: Just last night, our federal and DC law enforcement partners made 68 arrests and seized 15 illegal firearms,” Bondi said in a post on X. “Homicide suspects, drug traffickers, and more are being charged. I’ll continue to stand with you as we make DC safe again!”

Trump announced last week that he would federalise the city’s police force and deploy the National Guard. The decision sparked backlash from Democrats and DC residents who accused the administration of overreach.

A White House official told NewsNation that Saturday night’s operations involved 1,800 participants and emphasised that the National Guard was “not making arrests at this time.”

REPUBLICANS DEFEND CRACKDOWN AS DEMOCRATS CALL IT A “STUNT”

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller defended the president’s actions, writing on X that “graffiti is coming down in Washington, DC” He added, “Graffiti left untouched to scar public spaces is the visual declaration of a society’s surrender.”

“What’s happening here in Washington DC, is just a stunt,” Senator Chris Murphy said on Meet the Press. Murphy suggested the move was designed to distract from other controversies, including questions over unreleased Epstein files and rising healthcare costs.

“He didn’t want to talk anymore about the fact that our healthcare system is about to collapse because of the cuts that they have made, that premiums are going to go up by 75 percent on Americans,” Murphy added.

Republicans, meanwhile, argue the operation is necessary given violent crime in the capital and claim Democrats have failed to manage the issue effectively.

– Ends

With inputs from agencies

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