Overview

• President Trump announced at a White House cabinet meeting that his administration will pursue capital punishment for killings committed in the nation’s capital, calling it a strong deterrent.
• While D.C. law bars the death penalty, federal prosecutors could bring capital-eligible charges in certain cases, a path legal experts say faces jury resistance and lengthy appeals.
• The pledge comes during a federal crime crackdown that has deployed National Guard troops and asserted temporary control over local policing under the Home Rule framework.
• The White House reported more than 1,094 arrests, at least 115 firearms seized, and dozens of encampments cleared since the operation began this month.
• A days-long stretch without a reported homicide ended with a fatal shooting in Southeast Washington, and Trump said he is weighing similar federal actions in cities such as Chicago, New York and Baltimore.