GOP lawmakers slam rising CRIME and DECAY in the District of Columbia

07/18/2025 / By Ramon Tomey

Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Brandon Gill (TX) and Tim Burchett (TN), describe Washington, D.C., as a “Third World hellhole,” citing rampant crime, homelessness and neglect near the Capitol that endanger residents, officials and tourists.
Burchett warns that the city is unsafe, especially at night, and advises against tourists exploring after dark, while Gill condemns the lack of adequate policing.
Following the fatal shooting of a congressional intern in March 2025, President Trump signed an order creating a federal task force to combat crime, restore monuments and clear homeless encampments – hinting at a potential federal takeover of D.C. governance.
GOP lawmakers accuse D.C. officials of enabling decay through weak enforcement and sanctuary-city policies, with critics tracing systemic failures back to the 1973 Home Rule Act’s divided governance structure.
The debate over federal intervention reflects a national divide, testing whether restoring D.C.’s safety and prestige can outweigh concerns over local autonomy.

The once-pristine streets of Washington, D.C., the seat of American power, have descended into what Republican lawmakers describe as a “Third World hellhole,” sparking outrage and renewed calls for federal intervention.

Texas Rep. Brandon Gill lambasted the city’s state as “disgraceful” during a recent interview with Border Hawk. He lamented: “The U.S. is the most powerful country the world has ever seen. We’re the most economically prosperous … and yet our capital city looks like a Third World hellhole.

“You go just a few blocks away from the Capitol, and you’re in very dangerous territory. I think it’s disgraceful that the capital city of the U.S. looks like we are in the Third World.

“This is a place that congressmen have to live, their families have to live, members of the administration have to live, government officials, our staff. And you’re saying we don’t have a police force that is adequately equipped to clean up this city?” (Related: Washington, D.C. and other U.S. cities becoming war zones as crime skyrockets under Democrat control.)

Gill was not alone with his sentiments, however. Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett likewise warned that the Capitol, in spite of its status, “is not a safe town.”

“It’s a constant worry of mine; I try not to leave the campus at night,” he told Border Hawk in an interview last month. “I worry about tourists, especially at night. There are a lot of cool things to go see at night, but I would caution against that.”

Trump takes charge to save the Capitol

Both GOP representatives and the Trump administration argue that the nation’s capital – marred by escalating crime, homelessness and neglect – now fails to reflect the dignity of the United States. This has prompted executive action to reclaim its safety and beauty.

Concerns over D.C.’s conditions reached a boiling point following the fatal March 2025 shooting of a 21-year-old congressional intern near the White House, underscoring Days later, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating a multi-agency task force to combat crime, restore monuments and clear homeless encampments.

He also openly suggested a federal takeover of the district’s governance. “We want a capital that’s run flawlessly,” Trump declared during a recent cabinet meeting.

GOP lawmakers accuse local officials of enabling the decay through lax enforcement and sanctuary-city policies. Historically, D.C.’s struggles with crime and governance trace back to the 1973 Home Rule Act, which granted limited self-governance but left Congress with oversight—a division critics argue has fostered bureaucratic paralysis.

The Trump administration’s order revives debates over federal authority, emphasizing coordination with law enforcement to curb illegal immigration and vandalism. As the debate unfolds, the stakes extend beyond policy.

For millions of visitors and residents, D.C.’s decline symbolizes a broader national fracture. Whether federal intervention can restore the capital’s luster or deepen tensions over local autonomy remains a pivotal test for America’s leaders and institutions.

Watch this Scripps News report about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s bag being stolen in D.C., highlighting the Capitol’s safety issues.

This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.