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A crowd rental company has seen a massive uptick in inquiries regarding its services in Washington, D.C., amid President Donald Trump’s move to federalize the police force in the nation’s capital.
“Right now, D.C. inquiries are up roughly 400% compared to the same period in 2024,” Crowds on Demand CEO Adam Swart told Fox News Digital, adding that the time period he is referencing is May to July 2024.
The company always sees a spike in requests during what Swart calls “high-stakes political moments.”
Protesters march during a No Kings rally in Washington, D.C., June 14, 2025. The demonstration took place at the same time as a parade marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. (David Dee Delgado for Fox News Digital)
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“A large share are focused on opposing Trump’s policies in Washington and raising alarms about government overreach,” Swart said. “We’re weighing those offers carefully – because while there’s truth in saying D.C.’s local government has been an abject failure in keeping citizens safe, there’s also a real danger in putting too much power in federal hands. That balance of power matters.”
Swart said the “vast majority” of people at political or advocacy events in D.C. are in some way paid.
“Most people don’t know this, but many protesters are literally on the payroll – Capitol Hill staffers from both parties are often expected to show up at rallies and protests on their own time,” he said. “So yes, most attendees are being paid or are there because it’s part of their job. That doesn’t mean they don’t support the cause – but it does mean these crowds aren’t as ‘organic’ as they appear on TV.”
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters at the White House, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, accompanied by, from left, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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On Monday, Trump announced that District of Columbia National Guard troops will be activated to patrol the streets in Washington, and that the federal government will take control of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Trump cited unchecked violent crime as the reason for the takeover, which he announced a week after former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward Coristine and his girlfriend were subject to an attempted carjacking on Aug. 3. Coristine was left beaten and bloodied.
Upon learning of Coristine’s victimization, Trump first floated the idea in a post on his TRUTH Social platform.
Demonstrators outside the U.S. Capitol ahead of a joint meeting of Congress with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 24, 2024. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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He said criminals in the city are not afraid of the police because “nothing ever happens to them.”
“The most recent victim was beaten mercilessly by local thugs,” Trump wrote. “… Perhaps it should have been done a long time ago, then this incredible young man, and so many others, would not have had to go through the horrors of Violent Crime. If this continues, I am going to exert my powers, and FEDERALIZE this City. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”