In a troubling incident early Sunday morning in Washington, D.C., two 15-year-old teenagers were arrested following an alleged attack on Edward Coristine, a former staff member of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and known by the nickname "Big Balls." The teenagers face charges related to an attempted unarmed carjacking that escalated into a violent assault.
According to law enforcement reports, the incident occurred around 3 a.m. near Logan Circle, a neighborhood in the city’s northwest quadrant. Coristine and a woman identified as his significant other were approached by a group of several teens who made statements about taking the woman’s vehicle. In an effort to protect her, Coristine pushed her into the car and confronted the group. The situation quickly deteriorated when several teens attacked Coristine until police officers on patrol intervened. The assailants fled before authorities could apprehend all involved, but two 15-year-olds were subsequently taken into custody.
Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old software engineer prominently involved with President Trump’s DOGE initiative—which focuses on reducing government waste and cutting federal spending—was severely beaten during the assault, sustaining injuries including a concussion. Elon Musk, a former chief adviser to DOGE, publicly confirmed the attack via a post on social media platform X, a site he owns. Musk detailed that Coristine bravely intervened to defend the woman from the group of attackers, saving her at great personal risk.
This violent episode has reignited discussions about public safety and crime legislation in the nation’s capital. President Trump reacted swiftly on his Truth Social platform, sharing a graphic image of the injured Coristine and calling for a revision of D.C. law to allow teenagers aged 14 and older to be prosecuted as adults. Trump blamed local youth violence for the city’s crime problems and vowed stricter punishments to deter future incidents. He also reiterated his longstanding threat to impose federal control over Washington, D.C., if local authorities fail to contain crime effectively.
Despite the concerns raised by this incident, data indicates that crime in Washington, D.C., is generally on a downward trend. Official records show a 35 percent drop in overall crime in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching a 30-year low. Preliminary data for 2025 also suggests a continuation of this decline in violent crime.
The assault on Edward Coristine underscores ongoing challenges in balancing public safety with youth crime, particularly amid political debates over how best to address violence in urban areas. As investigators continue to pursue leads concerning those involved, the case has drawn significant attention to the city’s law enforcement strategies and youth justice policies.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
