MSNBC contributor Mike Barnicle admitted on Wednesday that the National Guard’s presence in Washington, D.C., is likely making residents feel a “sense of security.”
While Barnicle attempted to criticize President Donald Trump on “Morning Joe” for inserting “uniform troops” on city streets, he stated that residents living in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington probably felt safe with the “physical presence” of the National Guard. The increased police and National Guard presence is part of Trump’s plan to “reestablish law, order and public safety” in the nation’s capital.
“If I lived in Anacostia, across the river, across the South Capitol Street bridge, where the crime rate is a little different than it is in Northwest Washington, I wouldn’t be displeased to see a uniform presence, even if it was a National Guard person, on my block, Barnicle said. “There’s a sense of security when you see someone who symbolizes safety or strength, a uniformed National Guard person … Just the physical presence of a uniform might have some people feeling a bit better about their chances of going to the grocery store and not getting mugged.” (RELATED: ‘It’s Never Enough!’: Jeanine Pirro Unleashes On Reporter Who Downplays DC Crime)
WATCH:
The presence of nearly 850 officers led to the arrests of 23 individuals for heinous crimes such as homicide, firearm offenses and lewd acts on Monday night alone, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. The officers also seized six illegal firearms.
The Rochester Institute for Technology found that Washington’s murder rate in 2024 was the fourth highest in the U.S., standing above New York City, Chicago and Atlanta. In 2025, a gang-related shooting killed congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym near a Metro station on June 30, and a separate shooting in May killed two Israeli Embassy staffers outside of the Capital Jewish Museum.
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward Coristine, also known as “Big Balls,” suffered a broken nose, concussion and a black eye after he interfered in a carjacking on Aug. 5. The incident prompted the Trump administration to aggressively address crime in the nation’s capital.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), which states that violent crime has gone down by over 25% since 2024, does not include aggravated and felony assault in its data. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data, which includes aggravated and felony assault, shows that the number of violent offenses in the district has only dropped by 10% since 2024.
The police department suspended a police commander in May and began investigating him for allegedly making suspicious changes to the statistics for his area of Washington to make it appear as if crime had decreased.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
