A young Trump administration staffer is now reportedly being praised as a hero after reportedly intervening in an attempted carjacking in the nation’s capital, only to be violently beaten by a group of teenagers.
The attack has reignited criticism of Washington, D.C.’s soft-on-crime policies and calls for stronger federal oversight of the city’s safety.
Ed Coristine, 19, a staffer at the Social Security Administration and a former member of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), stepped in to protect a woman near Dupont Circle around 3 a.m. Sunday morning.
According to CBS News, the woman was Coristine’s significant other. When they were surrounded by approximately 10 teens who allegedly made comments about taking their vehicle, Coristine pushed the woman into the car and confronted the group. He was left bloodied and concussed in the street.
President Trump shared an image of Coristine’s injuries on Tuesday and blasted the leadership of D.C., which he said is failing to keep residents and visitors safe. “Either they’re going to straighten their act out in terms of government and in terms of protection,” Trump said, “or we’re going to have to federalize and run it the way it’s supposed to be run.”
.@POTUS: "Somebody from @DOGE was very badly hurt last night… a young man who was beat up by a bunch of thugs in D.C. Either they're going to straighten their act out… or we're going to have to federalize and run it the way it's supposed to be run." https://t.co/Z6Ywr9oYYX pic.twitter.com/yhg9mRfDaF
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 5, 2025
On his Truth Social platform, Trump did not mince words: “Crime in D.C. is totally out of control. This brave young man was beaten by local ‘youths’ and gang members who know they’ll be released immediately. The law in D.C. must be changed to prosecute these ‘minors’ as adults and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14.”
Police confirmed two 15-year-olds were arrested and charged with unarmed carjacking. Most of the other suspects fled the scene before police arrived. A black iPhone 16 was stolen during the incident.
The attack has stirred national outrage and drawn support from major conservative figures, including Elon Musk — the tech titan who previously led the DOGE initiative. Musk echoed Trump’s sentiment and emphasized the urgency of restoring law and order in the capital.
“A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC,” Musk wrote. “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 federalize DC.”
Coristine’s actions have inspired a wave of bipartisan admiration, but Republicans are pushing for formal recognition. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) suggested Coristine should be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation’s highest civilian honor — for his heroism.
In an era when too many violent criminals are coddled by lenient laws and political indifference, Coristine’s courage stands in stark contrast.
For many Americans, the young staffer has become a symbol not only of personal bravery, but of what’s at stake when public safety is sacrificed for politics.
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