A staff member of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Edward Coristine also known online as “Big Balls,” was severely beaten after intervening in an attempted unarmed carjacking in Washington D.C., according to police records and Elon Musk on Tuesday.
Crime in D.C. has been under the media and White House spotlight as Republican intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym was fatally shot in the city on June 30. According to a D.C. Metropolitan Police Department police report obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, the attack occurred Sunday around 3 a.m. as Coristine and another individual were reportedly standing near their vehicle.
Coristine told officials that he saw the suspect approach, with MPD’s press release stating that the suspects demanded the victims’ vehicle. Concerned for her safety, the DOGE member then pushed the second victim into the vehicle, turning to confront the suspects.
With Coristine being assaulted by the suspects, an MPD cruiser pulled into the block, causing approximately 10 suspects to flee the scene on foot, according to the police report. Two suspects were then arrested on the scene, as Coristine was treated by DC Fire and EMS for injuries sustained during the assault.
Officials revealed that a 15-year-old juvenile male and a 15-year-old juvenile female from Hyattsville, Md., were both arrested and charged with unarmed carjacking.
In a post to Truth Social, Trump called out the “totally out of control” crimes, saying how a recent incident left Coristine “beaten mercilessly” by “local thugs.” (RELATED: Skyrocketing Crime Prompts Trump To Eye Federal Takeover Of DC)
“Local ‘youths’ and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released,” Trump wrote. “They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it’s going to happen now!”
“The most recent victim was beaten mercilessly by local thugs,” Trump added. “Washington D.C., must be safe, clean, and beautiful for all Americans and, importantly, for the World to see. If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore.”
Trump continued writing how he would exert his powers to federalize D.C. if the crime continues. A photo was also included of Coristine, seen wearing white jeans and covered in blood. The male could be seen sitting on the ground with his shirt on his shoulder, with a white vehicle — which appears to be some type of security car — behind him.
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— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 5, 2025
In response to the president’s post, Musk, who was in charge of DOGE before announcing the end of his time in May, confirmed the alleged incident, including how the individual attacked had been a DOGE staffer.
“A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC. A @Doge team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her. It is time to federalize DC,” Musk wrote.
Another DOGE member, Marko Elez, responded to Trump’s post, writing that he was at the scene when the incident occurred near Dupont Circle.
“My friend Big Balls is a hero. I took this photo after Edward protected a young woman from an attempted carjacking by 8 thugs near Dupont Circle. Violence like this in the heart of DC is completely unacceptable,” Elez wrote.
During a Cabinet meeting in July, discussion about federally taking over D.C. had been made by the president, who said his administration would be “looking” at the city.
“We’re thinking about doing it, to be honest with you. We want a capital that’s run flawlessly,” Trump said during the meeting.
The death of Tarpinian-Jachym in June came on the heels of two Israeli Embassy staff members being gunned down and killed near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.
The investigation is ongoing by MPD’s Carjacking Taskforce.
DOGE and the White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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