WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his administration will seek the death penalty as punishment for murders committed in the nation’s capital.
Trump revealed the plans to pursue the death penalty in D.C. homicide cases during the White House Cabinet Meeting on Tuesday.
“If somebody kills somebody in the capital, Washington, DC, we’re going to be seeking the death penalty. And that’s a very strong preventative, and everybody that’s heard it agrees with it,” he said. “I don’t know if we’re ready for it in this country, but we… have no choice.”
Trump added that states will have to make their own decisions on the matter.
His comments follow a 12-day run with no homicides in the nation’s capital, which ensued after Trump federalized law enforcement in D.C. The run looks to have come to an end on Tuesday morning after a man died from apparent gunshot wounds, the Hill noted.
WATCH — JD Vance: Trump Has Saved People’s Lives in D.C.:
Trump’s D.C. crime crackdown has produced staggering results since August 11. In the 11 days after he federalized control of law enforcement, from August 11 to 22, carjackings saw an 83 percent drop compared to the 11 days before Trump took executive action, from July 31 to August 11.
From August 11 to 22, motor vehicle thefts decreased by 37 percent, robberies by more than 50 percent, homicides by 50 percent, assaults involving dangerous weapons by 32 percent, and total crime by 14 percent.
Trump said Friday that his administration is looking at potential crime crackdowns in other cities, including Chicago.
“And after we do this, we’ll go to another location, and we’ll make it safe also. We’re going to make our country very safe. We’re going to make our cities very, very safe,” Trump said. “Chicago is a mess. You have an incompetent mayor, grossly incompetent.”
“We’ll straighten that one out, probably next. That’ll be our next one after this, and it won’t even be tough. And the people in Chicago, Mr. Vice President, are screaming for us to come. They’re wearing red hats just like this one,” he added.
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