The decline follows the deployment of more than 800 National Guard troops in the city.
Restaurants in Washington, D.C., have experienced a sharp decline in reservations and foot traffic after President Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and mobilized National Guard troops in the city.
The decline unfolded in the days after the announcement, coinciding with a heightened law enforcement presence across the district and protests against the federal intervention.Why It Matters
Trump said at a news conference on August 11 that the city had been «overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people.»
Trump’s intervention marks an unprecedented federal involvement in the local governance of the District of Columbia, using emergency powers that city officials and critics describe as a political power play.
The deployment has sparked backlash over constitutional limits and home rule rights. Critics argue that it breaches democratic principles and could set a dangerous national precedent, while supporters frame it as a necessary measure for public order.
