As crime continues to plague major urban centers across the United States, former President Donald Trump’s latest executive order is making waves—particularly in Washington, D.C., where his “DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force” aims to restore law and order through a sweeping new initiative.
Appearing on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Amy Jacobson and John Anthony, Daily Wire Deputy Managing Editor Tim Rice said Trump’s move may be just what D.C.—and cities like Chicago and Detroit—need.
“This is an exciting moment for us in D.C.,” said Rice, who has reported extensively on the city’s crime crisis. “This executive order cuts through years of gridlock, mixed motives, and failed policies.”
The executive order, dubbed the “Bowser Act”—an ironic nod to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser—creates a federal task force focused on cracking down on crime in the capital. The initiative will coordinate with federal agencies to enforce immigration law, restore monuments, clean graffiti, and boost law enforcement visibility, particularly in the city’s metro system and tourist hotspots.
The name of the act—“Bringing Oversight to Washington and Safety to Every Resident”—is widely viewed as a tongue-in-cheek critique of Bowser’s record, particularly her failure to contain crime rates that spiked dramatically in 2023.
“Even Biden’s granddaughter had a run-in,” Rice noted, referring to an attempted carjacking of Naomi Biden in D.C. Despite Secret Service protection, the incident underscored how unsafe the city had become. Other high-profile cases—including a near-fatal stabbing of a Rand Paul staffer and a former Trump aide shot in a carjacking—drove the point home.
Rice said Washington’s size makes the impact of crime more immediate. “This isn’t like in New York, where something happens in the Bronx and you live in Brooklyn. In D.C., if you see it on the news, chances are you were just there yesterday or your spouse works nearby.”
He also emphasized that Trump’s plan revives a proven strategy: broken windows policing. The executive order includes measures to eliminate public urination, loitering, and fare evasion while simultaneously investing in beautification efforts like park cleanup and monument restoration.
“This is straight out of the 1990s New York playbook,” Rice said. “Clean spaces attract more community oversight and disincentivize crime. It’s common sense.”
Jacobson and Anthony noted that the task force model is already attracting attention from officials in other cities, including Chicago and Detroit. “Could this be a template for other blue cities to follow?” Anthony asked. Rice believes it could be.
“Democrats are out of answers,” he said. “Trump is showing there’s a different way—and people are taking notice.”
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden returned to the spotlight this week, delivering a speech at a disability advocacy conference in Chicago. The event made headlines not for its content, but for Biden’s awkward entrance—beginning to speak while music still blared. “It was embarrassing,” said Jacobson. “He didn’t even notice.”
Biden’s messaging also raised eyebrows. In one clip, he accused roughly 30% of Americans of having “no heart,” sparking criticism from conservatives. “It’s the same playbook,” Rice said. “When Democrats get backed into a corner, they demonize half the country.”
As for Democratic leadership, the picture remains murky. With Biden’s political future in doubt and Vice President Kamala Harris lagging in polling, figures like Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are receiving renewed attention. Rice finds the party’s hesitation puzzling.
“They should be grooming AOC or Mayor Pete if they want a future,” he said. “Instead, they’re pushing Bernie Sanders for a third run. He’ll be 89 in 2028.”
He also took aim at Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s recent remarks suggesting the party only turned on Biden when it became clear he couldn’t win. “It’s laughable,” Rice said. “If they were serious, they would’ve had this conversation years ago.”
As Trump gains momentum and policy successes like the Bowser Act earn headlines, the contrast between proactive leadership and political paralysis is becoming clearer—and for cities struggling with rising crime, the clock may be ticking.
“Washington is the only city in America that belongs to all Americans,” Rice said. “And if Trump can fix it, maybe there’s hope for the rest.”