President Donald Trump is advocating for a sweeping crime bill and substantial funding for the nation’s capital, though his Republican allies in Congress are unsure of the details. The president has repeatedly mentioned working with Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and other GOP leaders on a ‘Comprehensive Crime Bill,’ but the specifics remain unclear. This has left many Republicans in the dark about the nature of the legislation, raising questions about its scope and potential impact.
White House officials have been in preliminary discussions with House GOP leadership aides about legislation related to Trump’s public-safety crackdown in Washington, as well as other crime provisions. However, Trump’s latest comments have left Republicans puzzled, including members of leadership and key congressional committees who don’t know what ‘comprehensive’ measure the president is talking about, according to seven Republicans granted anonymity to speak candidly.
Trump, who frequently speaks with Johnson, discussed the president’s Washington crime campaign with the speaker on a call Tuesday morning, including extending his current temporary control over the D.C. police. According to two other people granted anonymity, Johnson was supportive of an extension. The House Oversight Committee, which has jurisdiction over D.C. issues, is planning to advance a slate of bills in September, spanning efforts to crack down on juvenile crime in Washington, overhaul the city’s education system, and unwind certain policing policies enacted by the D.C. Council. However, the Judiciary Committee would have to advance any crime-related bills with national scope.
Trump’s request to extend his 30-day D.C. police takeover adds a wrinkle to the House GOP’s plans, as his authority is set to expire Sept. 9 — just one week after lawmakers return to Washington. Republican leaders will need to advance it quickly, likely in a resolution they will put directly on the floor, leaving a broader package for later. Even if the House quickly passes the extension, its fate in the Senate is uncertain. Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday that he plans to speak with Thune about the matter. However, due to the Senate’s filibuster rule, Republicans can’t act alone to approve the measure, and Senate Democrats have signaled they’ll block any attempt to do so.
Republicans are eager to force Democrats into tough votes on crime, which they see as advantageous political ground, especially with House GOP leaders facing ongoing headaches over the Jeffrey Epstein case and the administration’s handling of it. Republicans are also still waiting for details on what Trump has described as a $2 billion bill to ‘beautify’ Washington. Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Katie Britt of Alabama are taking the lead on the D.C. funding bill, and Trump spoke with Graham about the president’s plan for the capital city earlier this month.
“I’m going to try to find him the money to repave the roads, take the graffiti off the building, refurbish the parks and give homeless people some place to go other than a tent,” Graham said at a South Carolina event last week. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed support for the president’s $2 billion request to improve infrastructure, especially federal infrastructure, in the District. However, Trump is now making clear he wants a major crime bill, too — and fast.
The president has spent weeks bashing Democrats on crime, particularly governors seen as key 2028 presidential race contenders, and he’s eager to leverage a winning and unifying issue for Republicans on Capitol Hill. Yet, the exact nature and ambition of the crime bill remain an open question. Even the D.C.-focused legislation stands to be a significant undertaking on Capitol Hill next month, with GOP leaders already scrambling to hammer out plans to fund the government, pass a defense authorization bill, and a litany of other items this fall.