Washington D.C. has seen a significant decrease in homicides, with a 43.9% drop in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, according to data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association. This decline followed President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard and federal control of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department in August 2025, a move aimed at combating crime in the city.
Tamara Jachym, whose son Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a Congressional intern, was killed in 2025, stated that the increased security measures are effective. "Something's working and I think extra eyes and ears on the ground is helping this happen," Jachym told Fox News Digital. "From what I understand from the folks in D.C. that I do speak with and they're from all walks of life...They notice a difference. They feel safer."
During the first half of 2026, the city recorded 46 homicides, a sharp contrast to the 82 homicides during the same timeframe in 2025. Jachym recalled that homicides occurred frequently prior to the National Guard's intervention. "I remember when my son Eric was killed, there was a homicide every other day till the National Guard came in," she said.
White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis commented on the statistics, asserting, "President Trump promised to make America safe again and the data proves he has done just that." The statement further noted that the President's Safe and Beautiful Task Force has made over 16,000 arrests, including for murder, sex offenses, and drug trafficking, contributing to a reduction in crime and an improved quality of life in Washington D.C.
In addition to Washington D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, also experienced a notable decrease in homicides. Data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association shows a 43.7% drop in Memphis during the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year, falling from 119 to 67 homicides. The National Guard was also deployed to Memphis in 2025 under President Trump's initiative.
Jachym urged lawmakers who oppose the deployment of the National Guard to major U.S. cities to consider the impact on residents. "Those are your constituents. They're being murdered, maimed, and live in fear. It's not OK. I feel that those elected officials have to start feeling compassion to the people who live in these cities who have been victims themselves of a violent crime or their families," she stated. "You have to have empathy for us victims, not the criminals."
She remembered her son, Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, as a "kind, humble soul who would reach across the aisle and work with the other side to give and take to come up with solutions for the problems we're seeing in America right now."