“Washington, DC is an amazing city, but it has been plagued by violent crime for far too long," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “President Trump has directed an increased presence of federal law enforcement to protect innocent citizens.”

Federal law enforcement agencies began patrolling Washington, D.C., Friday morning, after President Trump said crime in the district is "out of control."

The deployment follows President Trump’s effort to portray the nation’s capital as rife with violent crime, despite data showing crime rates dropping significantly.