When your only tool is a hammer, psychiatrist Abraham Maslow famously observed, all problems begin to look like nails.

That nugget of wisdom comes to mind as President Donald Trump implements a federal takeover of the District of Columbia’s police force and deploys 800 National Guard members, a large-scale intervention aimed at addressing local crime in a city he described as “overrun by violent gangs, bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people.” 

Saying the troops will be armed and able to make arrests if needed, Trump promised to “have the crime situation solved in D.C. very soon.” 

And that’s just the beginning, he said, of a wave of similar moves he wants to implement in Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Oakland and other cities as part of his long-running approach to urban crime. 

“It has become one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world. It will soon be one of the safest,” Trump said of the nation’s capital in a Saturday post on Truth Social, pledging action that will “essentially stop violent crime in Washington, D.C.” 

Local reaction to the plan has been mixed. While the early days of the federal presence were mostly peaceful, one former Justice Department employee was arrested Sunday evening for allegedly throwing a sandwich at a federal law enforcement officer. 

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Sean Charles Dunn, 37, “forcefully threw” a wrapped hoagie at a Customs and Border Protection officer. Dunn allegedly pointed his finger at the officer and shouted, “F— you! You f—ing fascists! Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!” 

He was charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers and employees of the United States. After being taken into custody, Dunn reportedly admitted: “I did it. I threw a sandwich.” 

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that Thursday: “If you touch any law enforcement officer, we will come after you. This is an example of the Deep State we have been up against for seven months as we work to refocus the department.” 

Trump’s crackdown followed a more serious crime: an attempted carjacking. Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, 19, a member of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, was attacked and bloodied in Washington’s Logan Circle neighborhood by a group of teenagers early on Aug. 3. A 15-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy were taken into juvenile detention in connection with the assault. 

Trump commented on Aug. 5: “Somebody from DOGE was very badly hurt last night,” sharing a photo of a bloodied Coristine on Truth Social. He added, “If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take federal control of the city.” 

As a past victim of street crime, my sympathies go out to Coristine. I’m glad some suspects were caught, and I hope they are handled fairly. Locking up a couple of teens, however, addresses only a small part of the larger challenges posed by complex urban crime. 

I don’t believe in “coddling criminals,” as some conservatives might say, but I do believe in effective law enforcement and sensible crime prevention that can bring and maintain safe streets. 

A group of prominent Washington religious leaders criticized Trump’s takeover of the District’s police force, saying his hyperbolic rhetoric could make matters worse. In their joint statement, they said the offenses are serious but won’t be helped by military action, “political theater” or fear-based governance. 

When your only tool in fighting violence inflames divisions, you only invite more problems. 

The writer is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.