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Maddow Blog-As Trump militarizes the nation's capital, his 'proof' of success falls apart
The president claims to have evidence that his deployments in Washington, D.C., are working. A closer look suggests his proof is entirely made up.
Trump’s militarization of DC is going great if we overlook the fact that it’s
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-08-20T12:48:02.645Z
- a legally dubious fiasco
- hurting local businesses
- scaring local residents
- failing to make much of a difference on crime www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-militarizes-nations-capital-proof-success-falls-apart-rcna226025
Trump has even presented proof — or at least, something he perceives as proof — of his triumph. During an Oval Office event on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Republican told reporters, “The restaurants [in D.C.] the last two days were busier than they’ve been in a long time.” A day later, he repeated the claim on Fox News.
.....But before that debate happens, it’s important to grapple with the fact that Trump’s boast is ridiculously untrue. The Washington Post reported:
The Post spoke to Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld, co-owner of El Secreto de Rosita, which is about a mile and a half north of the White House, and across the street from a police station where he said federal troops have often assembled.
“Reservations are low, low, low” compared to last year,” Fraga-Rosenfeld said, adding, “The city is dead. ... People are scared.”.....
So let’s take stock. Despite the fact that Trump has peddled some absurd claims, we’re left with a legally dubious deployment that (a) is hurting the local community’s economy; (b) isn’t making much of a difference on crime rates; and (c) is wildly unpopular with local residents.
This isn’t a triumph; it’s the latest in a series of fiascos.
Trump on DC: "Did you see what's happening with the restaurants? They're bursting" (The exact opposite is in fact true)
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-08-19T12:29:13.333Z
.....But before that debate happens, it’s important to grapple with the fact that Trump’s boast is ridiculously untrue. The Washington Post reported:
Since President Donald Trump announced his takeover of the D.C. police force last week, restaurant reservations have dropped in the city by as much as 31 percent year over year for a single day, according to restaurant booking data. Business owners are concerned that the continued surge in law enforcement could impact their revenue during a vital period of the summer.
The Post spoke to Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld, co-owner of El Secreto de Rosita, which is about a mile and a half north of the White House, and across the street from a police station where he said federal troops have often assembled.
“Reservations are low, low, low” compared to last year,” Fraga-Rosenfeld said, adding, “The city is dead. ... People are scared.”.....
So let’s take stock. Despite the fact that Trump has peddled some absurd claims, we’re left with a legally dubious deployment that (a) is hurting the local community’s economy; (b) isn’t making much of a difference on crime rates; and (c) is wildly unpopular with local residents.
This isn’t a triumph; it’s the latest in a series of fiascos.