President Donald Trump has thrown a curveball at progressive bail policies. On Monday, he signed executive orders to dismantle cashless bail in Washington, D.C., and threaten federal funding cuts for jurisdictions nationwide that cling to such reforms. This move, rooted in a tough-on-crime stance, has sparked heated debate.
Trump’s orders target a progressive darling: no-cash bail. In D.C., one order demands an end to cashless bail for suspects, while a separate nationwide directive ties federal funds to compliance.
Fox News confirmed Trump’s push to eliminate these policies across the country, signaling a broader Republican crackdown.
Eleven days before the orders, Trump launched a D.C. safety plan. Since August 14, 2025, the city reported zero murders, a statistic Trump touted as proof of his strategy’s success. Critics, though, question whether this short-term drop justifies upending bail reform.
Washington’s Safety Plan Yields Results
Trump’s D.C. initiative has been a whirlwind. Authorities arrested over 1,000 people in just 11 days, confiscating hundreds of guns from young individuals. The president’s claim of a revitalized capital feels like a jab at progressive leniency.
“We are at a point where Washington is booming again,” Trump declared on August 25, 2025. He credits his safety plan, boasting that “people are pouring in like we haven’t seen for years.” Skeptics argue this paints an overly rosy picture of a complex issue.
The D.C. operation also netted “scores of illegal aliens,” per Trump’s team. This language, while avoiding inflammatory slurs, underscores a hardline immigration stance woven into the safety plan. It’s a nod to his base, but risks alienating moderates who favor nuanced reform.
No-cash bail, a hallmark of progressive justice reform, took root in places like New York. Enacted in 2019 under former Governor Andrew Cuomo and upheld by Governor Kathy Hochul, it’s been a lightning rod for criticism. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a former cop, blames it for rising recidivism.
The Data Collaborative for Justice offers a mixed verdict. Its February 2024 report found that cashless bail increased recidivism for nonviolent felonies and those with recent criminal or violent felony records, but reduced it for misdemeanors and those without recent charges.
“Every place in the country where you have no-cash bail is a disaster,” Trump said earlier in August 2025.
His assertion that “bad politicians” and “bad leadership” fuel crime oversimplifies a thorny issue. Data suggests bail reform’s impact varies by context, not a one-size-fits-all failure.
Trump’s Brohouding National Strategy
Trump’s rhetoric has been unrelenting. He’s called for ending no-cash bail through Congress, banking on Republican votes, but his executive orders bypass legislative gridlock.
In D.C., Trump’s safety plan also aims to tackle homelessness alongside crime. He spoke with National Guard and law enforcement on August 21, 2025, doubling down on his vision for a “safer and more beautiful” capital. The plan’s early results fuel his argument, but long-term success remains unproven.
Elsewhere, Trump’s gaze turned to Chicago. On an August Friday, he labeled the city “a mess,” mulling National Guard deployment to curb its high crime rates.
Chicago’s struggles with poverty and gangs provide ammunition for his critique, but local leaders push back.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson didn’t mince words. Calling Trump’s efforts “uncoordinated, uncalled-for and unsound,” he defended his city’s progress, citing a 30% drop in homicides and 35% in robberies over the past year. Trump’s retort? Johnson is “grossly incompetent.”
Johnson’s stats paint a picture of improvement, with shots down nearly 40%. Yet, Chicago’s crime rate still exceeds the national average, giving Trump’s critique some bite. The back-and-forth highlights a deeper divide over how to address urban violence.
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Author: Benjamin Clark
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