Trump Signs Executive Orders To Eliminate No-Cash Bail Nationwide, Targets Soft-On-Crime Cities
President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Monday to abolish no-cash bail policies—one targeting Washington, D.C., and another aimed at ending the practice nationwide by tying it to federal funding.
“No More Revolving Door Justice”
“We are at a point where Washington is booming again,” Trump said in the Oval Office before signing the orders. “People are pouring in like we haven’t seen for years.”
Trump highlighted the success of his recent law-and-order plan in D.C., touting that there had been zero murders over the past 11 days and that authorities had arrested over 1,000 suspects and seized hundreds of illegal firearms—many from juveniles.
He added that “scores of illegal aliens” had been apprehended as part of the broader crackdown.
Funding Threats To Cities That Enable Criminals
The nationwide order targets jurisdictions with cashless bail systems—policies Trump says are responsible for unleashing chaos in Democrat-run cities. It threatens to pull federal funds from any locality that refuses to reinstate bail requirements for violent offenders.
“Every place in the country where you have no-cash bail is a disaster,” Trump said earlier this month. “Somebody murders somebody and they’re out before the day is over.”
Data Confirms What Common Sense Already Knows
Progressives have long argued that eliminating bail for non-violent offenders helps reduce incarceration rates. But studies show the opposite effect for repeat offenders and those with serious prior charges.
A 2024 study by the Data Collaborative for Justice found that eliminating money bail increased recidivism for suspects with violent or recent felony charges. It only reduced repeat offenses for low-level, non-violent first-timers.
Even Democrats Like Eric Adams Have Had Enough
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been a fierce critic of New York State’s cashless bail system, originally signed into law by Andrew Cuomo in 2019 and continued under Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Adams now faces both Cuomo and a far-left radical—Zohran Mamdani—in this November’s mayoral race. Mamdani, a self-described Democratic Socialist, is campaigning to eliminate bail completely and shut down all prisons.
Restoring Order From D.C. To Chicago
Monday’s action builds on Trump’s recent “Make D.C. Safer and More Beautiful” initiative and comes just days after the President said he was considering sending the National Guard into Chicago.
Trump previously deployed federal resources—including FBI, DEA, ATF, and thousands of National Guard troops—to Washington, D.C., and has teased a similar effort in other Democrat-run cities.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson blasted the potential move, calling it “uncalled-for” and “unconstitutional,” but Trump fired back, labeling Johnson “grossly incompetent.”
White House Fires Back At Democrat Mayors
“If Democrats spent half as much time solving their own city’s crime problems as they did criticizing the President for wanting to Make America Safe Again, their constituents would be much better off,” said White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson.
Despite Johnson’s claim that crime is down, federal data shows that Chicago still suffers from poverty, gang violence, and a violent crime rate well above the national average.
With Monday’s orders, Trump is doubling down on his message to the American people: under his watch, the days of soft-on-crime policies and catch-and-release chaos are over.