US President visits police and troops deployed in Washington

US President Donald Trump on Aug. 21 visited police and troops he has deployed in the US capital in what he calls a crackdown on crime, saying they were going to "stay here for a while."

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WASHINGTON -

He ordered hundreds of members of the National Guard, a reserve force, to deploy in Washington last week, vowing to "take our capital back," despite protests by some residents and statistics showing violent offenses falling.

"We're going to make it safe, and we're going to then go on to other places, but we're going to stay here for a while. We want to make this absolutely perfect," the Republican said outside a US Park Police facility in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington.

He was surrounded by law enforcement from various local and federal agencies, as well as National Guard troops.

Earlier on Aug. 21, the 79-year-old had suggested he would go on patrol with the police and the military, but instead, he made a short speech, and gave out pizzas and hamburgers.

"Everybody feels safe," he said, adding that he plans to get the capital "fixed up physically."