'I am going to exert my powers': Prosecute minors as adults? Trump warns of federal control in DC after ex-Doge staffer assaulted

"Out of control" crimes in Washington, DC, have left US President Donald Trump furious as he threatened to federalise the city. The statement from the US president came after a gang of youth attempted a carjacking and assaulted one of the prominent members of the Department of Government Efficiency. Highlighting the issue, Trump on Tuesday said that DC has gone out of control, and youngsters are "randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent citizens." "They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it’s going to happen now!" Trump said. He further asserted that the law in the city should be changed to "prosecute these 'minors' as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14." He said that the victim, Edward Coristine, nicknamed 'Big Balls,' was "beaten mercilessly by local thugs." "Washington, DC, must be safe, clean, and beautiful for all Americans and, importantly, for the world to see," the US president said. In a post on Truth Social, Trump further threatened that if the situation in DC doesn't improve, then he will take federal control."If DC doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore," he said in the post. Trumo added that if such incidents continue to happen, then he will exert his powers and "FEDERALIZE this City." Who is Edward Coristine, and what happened? Edward Coristine, nicknamed 'Big Balls,' was assaulted by a group of teenagers attempting to carjack him and a woman in city's Logan Circle neighbourhood at around 3 am on Sunday. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the group approached the couple’s car and commented on taking it. Coristine asked the woman to sit in the car for her safety and confronted the group. Police said that several of the teens attacked him until officers patrolling nearby intervened. The group fled on foot when the cops approached. Taking cognisance of the matter, police arrested two 15-year-olds from Maryland on charges of unarmed carjacking.Former DOGE head Elon Musk also reacted to Trump's post. Sharing a screenshot of Trump's post, Musk wrote, "A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC.""A @Doge team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her. It is time to federalise DC," he added.