A former employee at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) nicknamed “Big Balls” was assaulted in Washington D.C. at the weekend, police said.
Edward Coristine was attacked in the city’s Logan Circle neighborhood by a group of teenagers attempting to carjack him and a woman at around 3 a.m. on Sunday, according to The Associated Press and Politico. The woman was identified by police as Coristine’s significant other.
Two 15-year-olds were arrested as they attempted to flee the scene.
The attack prompted President Donald Trump to renew calls for the federal government to seize control of the nation’s capital.
Newsweek contacted the White House and Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office for comment via email outside of regular business hours.
Fox News/Truth Social
Why It Matters
Trump’s remarks come as his administration weighs how far it can go to exert control over cities struggling with crime, homelessness and political infighting.
The prospect of federal intervention in D.C., which has operated under limited home rule since 1973, would mark a dramatic departure from decades of precedent. Under the Home Rule Act, the District maintains its own local government, but Congress retains ultimate authority and can overrule local laws.
What To Know
The group of teenagers approached the couple’s car and made a comment about taking the vehicle, the Metropolitan Police Department said.
Coristine pushed the woman into the vehicle for safety and turned to confront the group. Several of the teenagers then attacked him until officers patrolling nearby intervened, police said.
As officers moved toward the group, the teenagers fled on foot. Two 15-year-olds from Maryland were later arrested on charges of unarmed carjacking.
Coristine previously held key roles in DOGE amid its efforts to slash the federal bureaucracy, and now works for the Social Security Administration, according to Politico.
What People Are Saying
Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday: “If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore.”
He added: “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.”
He called for a change in the law so that the juveniles who attacked Coristine could be charged as adults.
Marko Elez, another DOGE staffer, wrote on X that Coristine was “a hero.” He added: “I took this photo after Edward protected a young woman from an attempted carjacking by 8 thugs near Dupont Circle. Violence like this in the heart of DC is completely unacceptable.”
Elon Musk, the former head of DOGE, wrote on X on Tuesday: “A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC. 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.”
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, wrote on X on Tuesday: “Not only does Edward Coristine patriotically work to gut our government of waste, fraud, and abuse, he is also a HERO for sacrificing his own safety to defend a helpless woman! We need more MEN like Edward Coristine!!”
She added: “Washington DC, our nation’s capital, is tragically one of the most dangerous cities in America. I support President Trump in taking over the city to establish law and order!!!”
What’s Next
The Metropolitan Police Department said its investigation into the attack on Coristine remains active and additional suspects are still being sought.
