Pizza with a topping of praise: Inside Trump’s visit to National Guard troops in Washington

Days after Donald Trump deployed National Guard soldiers and federal agents on the streets of Washington, DC, the US President paid them a visit on Thursday to praise their efforts.

What also drew attention was him delivering pizza and hamburgers to the soldiers and federal agents.

Hundreds of federal agents and National Guard soldiers were deployed to the city after Trump signed an executive order.

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Trump has claimed that a rise in crime required his Republican-led government’s intervention in the Democrat-led city. He now says that his efforts have led to miraculous results, without providing any data.

In this explainer, we look at Trump’s visit to Washington, DC.

Here’s a look:

Inside Trump’s Washington visit

Trump met federal law enforcement officers in Washington, DC, where he handed out hamburgers from the White House and pizza from Wiseguy Pizza.

At a US Park Police facility, Trump said, “We’re not playing games.”

He indicated that the security operations in the city might continue for some time and could be an example for other parts of the country.

In a radio interview earlier, Trump had said he would be “going out tonight” with law enforcement and the military. However, after the facility visit, he returned to the White House.

Speaking to several hundred officers, Trump claimed without evidence that their presence had already reduced crime. “It’s like a different place,” he said. “Everybody is safe now.”

Confident in the federal efforts, he told the officers that Washington was recovering. “We’re going to have the best capital ever,” he said.

Trump also promised to replace the grass in DC’s parks and open spaces as part of a broader plan to clean up the capital.

“One of the things we are going to be redoing is your parks. I’m very good at grass, because I have a lot of golf courses all over the place. I know more about grass than any human being I think anywhere in the world,” Trump told the officers.

He was accompanied by Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

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Trump’s Washington takeover and the ground reality

For people living in DC, Trump’s police takeover is highly unpopular.

A new Washington Post-Schar School poll found that 79% of DC residents oppose the US president’s decision to put the city’s police under federal control and to send the National Guard and FBI to patrol the streets.

The arrival of hundreds of federal agents and National Guard troops has unsettled many residents and led to tense encounters in the city.

On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said authorities had made 465 arrests since August 7.

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and the outstanding work of both federal and local law enforcement, dangerous gang members like the one picked up last night will not be allowed on the streets of our nation’s capital,” she said.

Immigration enforcement seems to be a key focus, with the White House saying more than a third of those arrested in the past two weeks were in the country illegally.

Outside a city office building, crowds gathered to protest Trump’s actions. They held signs and applauded speakers criticising the president’s plans.

The protest grew to several hundred people, leading police to block nearby roads. Even after the rally ended, many stayed behind to dance and enjoy music.

According to The New York Times, crime in Washington rose after the Covid-19 pandemic and peaked in 2023. Since then, city leaders say much has improved, adding that violent crime is now at a 30-year low.

The murder rate, though still higher than it was 15 years ago, has been falling and is now back to prepandemic levels.

With inputs from agencies