The nation’s capital is now under a spotlight like never before, and it’s President Trump who put it there. He returned the issue of crime to the center of American politics by flexing federal power to clamp down on what he calls rampant lawlessness in the city. Some Democrats are labeling it a “fear-based stunt,” but many residents appear to applaud any effort to reestablish public safety. After all, no one wants their neighborhood to descend into chaos, and nobody wants Washington, D.C., turned into a war zone.

Yet those on the left are handling these developments with kid gloves. They see the president’s unorthodox move—sending in National Guard troops, pressing to put local police under federal control—as a brazen attempt to lock in a political advantage. They say it’s less about making the city safe and more about forcing them into a corner on crime—a potent issue that resonates with everyone, including longtime Democratic voters. With a midterm showdown on the horizon, Democrats are skittish about opposing stronger law enforcement. The memory is still fresh from the 2022 House victory that Republicans snagged partly by tying Democrats to soaring crime in big cities.

But no one can deny that public safety is on many Americans’ minds. The spike in urban crime during the pandemic rattled everyone. People who used to brush aside the president’s law-and-order rhetoric started taking it a little more seriously. The data can show improvement, but that’s cold comfort to someone who’s personally felt threatened at night on a city street. In Washington, D.C., and beyond, parents want to know their kids can walk to school in peace.

Critics point out that the president is deploying resources to crack down in liberal strongholds while ignoring struggling red-state cities. They say it’s selective enforcement, designed to punish political opponents. Still, the White House points to rising concerns from average citizens, many of whom are not ideological zealots but decent folks who just don’t want to get robbed or see homeless encampments on every corner.

You can see it on the ground: homeless people forced to move out of tent encampments, some losing their possessions. Local activists argue the White House never bothered to provide real solutions for these people, like meaningful drug treatment referrals or better shelter options. Apparently, the feds just cleaned them out to reclaim the streets. Is that harsh? Maybe so, but others would say what’s truly harsh is letting crime and squalor continue unaddressed.

While the Democratic establishment tries to thread the needle, President Trump is staying consistent with the decades-long message that he’d bring law and order to America’s cities. Past election results show that even some who find his style abrasive still prefer a sense of security over political correctness. Municipal officials—including those in liberal cities—fear that the president’s next step might involve more direct control. A wave of anxiety runs through local lawmakers who don’t want federal voices commandeering their policing or their streets. They see his takeover of the capital as a test run: if it works, Chicago, Baltimore, or Oakland could be next.

Trump’s critics maintain he’s stirring panic as part of a power grab. They also recall how pushing back on crime can cause tension with minority communities, especially when it’s deployed clumsily. But mention that to supporters of the president, and they’ll ask whether it’s better to stand by while families suffer.

Right now, the capital city itself remains the proving ground for an approach that pairs an iron grip on policing with a message that those in charge won’t tolerate chaos. Democrats warning about “authoritarianism” may have a point, theoretically. But ordinary citizens look around Washington, see tents cleared out and patrols expanded, and wonder if maybe it’s time for that kind of intervention. It’s more than a campaign tactic—it’s a reflection of residents’ yearnings for safety in uncertain times. Washington, D.C., is the prime stage to see if such a policy stands or falls, and the Democratic Party is finding out the hard way that crime talk can’t simply be brushed aside.