Focus on the BIG picture.
Wednesday, Aug 13, 2025
Outside the box.
DC paid protester requests surge 400% amid Trump’s federal takeover of city police: crowd company CEO says vast majority of political event attendees in Washington are paid in some way
Crowd rental firm reports a fourfold rise in Washington, D.C., inquiries as President Trump orders federal control of the Metropolitan Police and deploys the National Guard.
A crowd rental company has reported a significant increase in service inquiries in Washington, D.C., following President Donald Trump’s move to place the city’s police force under federal control.
Adam Swart, CEO of Crowds on Demand, said requests were up roughly 400 percent from May to July 2024 compared with the same period in the previous year.
Swart noted that such spikes typically occur during what he described as “high-stakes political moments.”
According to Swart, a large portion of the current requests are aimed at opposing Trump’s policies in Washington and raising concerns about government overreach.
He said his company is assessing these offers carefully, citing the need to balance the issue of D.C.’s local government’s record on public safety against the risks of concentrating too much authority at the federal level.
Swart added that the vast majority of attendees at political or advocacy events in the capital are paid in some form, often including Capitol Hill staffers from both parties who are expected to participate in rallies and protests outside of official work hours.
He emphasized that while payment or job duties are a common reason for attendance, this does not necessarily diminish individuals’ support for the causes they represent.
On August 11, 2025, President Trump announced the activation of District of Columbia National Guard troops to patrol city streets and confirmed that the federal government would assume control of the Metropolitan Police Department.
He cited violent crime levels as the reason for the takeover.
The announcement followed an August 3 incident in which former Department of Government Efficiency staffer Edward Coristine and his girlfriend were victims of an attempted carjacking, leaving Coristine injured.
Trump first raised the idea of federalizing the city’s police after learning of the attack, posting on his social media platform that criminals in Washington are not deterred by local law enforcement because “nothing ever happens to them.”
In his statement, Trump referred to Coristine as having been “beaten mercilessly by local thugs” and suggested that earlier federal intervention might have prevented such incidents.
He concluded by warning that if violent crime persisted, he would use his authority to federalize the city, ending his message with “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Adam Swart, CEO of Crowds on Demand, said requests were up roughly 400 percent from May to July 2024 compared with the same period in the previous year.
Swart noted that such spikes typically occur during what he described as “high-stakes political moments.”
According to Swart, a large portion of the current requests are aimed at opposing Trump’s policies in Washington and raising concerns about government overreach.
He said his company is assessing these offers carefully, citing the need to balance the issue of D.C.’s local government’s record on public safety against the risks of concentrating too much authority at the federal level.
Swart added that the vast majority of attendees at political or advocacy events in the capital are paid in some form, often including Capitol Hill staffers from both parties who are expected to participate in rallies and protests outside of official work hours.
He emphasized that while payment or job duties are a common reason for attendance, this does not necessarily diminish individuals’ support for the causes they represent.
On August 11, 2025, President Trump announced the activation of District of Columbia National Guard troops to patrol city streets and confirmed that the federal government would assume control of the Metropolitan Police Department.
He cited violent crime levels as the reason for the takeover.
The announcement followed an August 3 incident in which former Department of Government Efficiency staffer Edward Coristine and his girlfriend were victims of an attempted carjacking, leaving Coristine injured.
Trump first raised the idea of federalizing the city’s police after learning of the attack, posting on his social media platform that criminals in Washington are not deterred by local law enforcement because “nothing ever happens to them.”
In his statement, Trump referred to Coristine as having been “beaten mercilessly by local thugs” and suggested that earlier federal intervention might have prevented such incidents.
He concluded by warning that if violent crime persisted, he would use his authority to federalize the city, ending his message with “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
