Reporters and protesters flanked Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller in Union Station on Thursday, peppering them with questions meant to criticize President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on crime in Washington, D.C. — and Vance quickly made it clear that he was not playing.
The three were touring Union Station to observe the progress that has been made since the Trump administration began its efforts.
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🚨Happening Now: Vice President JD Vance, Secretary Hegseth, and Stephen Miller arrive at Union Station to view the progress of the clean up in Washington DC pic.twitter.com/ol9o61Z8bQ
— William Martin (@VPCommsDir) August 20, 2025
Vance, according to the pool report, stopped to thank the National Guardsmen who were present, saying, “You guys bust your ass all day and we give you hamburgers — not a fair trade but we’re grateful for everything you do.”
Speaking to the gathered reporters, Vance touted the success of their efforts thus far. “In the last nine days, we have seen a 35% crime decrease,” he said.
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. @VP “If you look at what has happened in Washington, D.C.
In the last nine days, WE HAVE SEEN A THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT CRIME DECREASE.” pic.twitter.com/68TN6hsEfh
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) August 20, 2025
Once the three men opened the floor for questions, a reporter asked whether they’d be providing “evidence.”
“Are you going to be releasing evidence of this?” she asked.
Hegseth and Vance both appeared amused by the question.
“Of what?” Vance asked. “That D.C. has a terrible crime problem? You just gotta look around. Obviously, D.C. has a terrible crime problem. The Department of Justice statistics back it up. The FBI statistics back it up. Just talk to a resident of this city, this beautiful, great American city.”
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“Don’t they deserve — we talk about human rights, we hear these people outside screaming, ‘Free D.C.!’ Let’s free D.C. from lawlessness. Let’s free Washington, D.C., from one of the highest murder rates in the entire world. Let’s free Washington, D.C., so that young families can walk around and feel safe and secure. That’s what we’re trying to free D.C. from.”
Referencing the protesters outside, he added, “As Stephen said, it’s kind of bizarre that we have a bunch of old, primarily white people who are out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when they’ve never felt danger in their entire lives.”
