🎥President Trump's field trip to thank police and troops in DC

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Donald Trump took a field trip Thursday to the U.S. Park Police operations facility in Washington, where he addressed about 300 National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officials and praised his military crackdown on crime and immigration in the city.

The White House said there have been 630 arrests, including 251 people who are in the country illegally, since Aug. 7, when Trump began ordering federal agents into the city. Trump has been ratcheting up the intensity since then, seizing control of the D.C. police department on Aug. 11 and deploying more National Guard troops, mostly from Republican-led states.

Trump suggested that operations in Washington could be drawn out and serve as a model for others around the country.

“We’re going to make it safe, and we’re going to go on to other places, but we’re going to stay here for a while,” he said.

Trump says he’ll ask Congress for money to support his DC federal intervention and plans to beautify Washington

“We’re going back to Congress for some money and we’re going to redo a lot of the pavement, the medians,” he said at the U.S. Park Service facility. “The graffiti is going to come down real fast.”

He didn’t say when he’d send the request to Congress or how much money he’ll be asking for.

Trump said he’ll be redoing parks in the city with new grass and new sprinkler systems, and replacing signage throughout the capital.

He said he knows a lot about grass because he owns a lot of golf courses.

“We have a life and grass has a life, and the grass here died about 40 years ago,” Trump said. “Let’s say, at the end of a year, this place will be maxed out in terms of beauty.”

Trump says he’s there to thank National Guard forces

Standing outside the U.S. Park Police facility as Trump arrived were approximately 300 men and women with various agencies, including DEA, ATF, US Marshals, National Guard and the FBI. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were also on hand.

Trump said he came to thank National Guard troops, and he talked about efforts to quickly reduce crime as well as removing graffiti, fixing medians and repairing roads.

“We’re going to have the best capital ever,” he said. “It’s going to look better than it ever did.”