Two teens were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the beating of a well-known member of President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
DOGE employee, Edward Coristine, famously known as “Big Balls,” was assaulted in the early morning carjacking on Aug. 3.
According to police, a group of suspects approached the victims who were standing next to their vehicle around 3 a.m. in the 1400 block of northwest Swann Street.
"The suspects demanded the victim’s vehicle and then assaulted one of the victims," police said. "During the assault, an MPD cruiser pulled into the block causing the suspects to flee."
Police arrested the two 15-year-olds as they tried to leave the scene.
The 19-year-old victim is among the most visible members of the DOGE team that cuts waste and fraud in the federal government.
Without identifying Coristine by name, Trump shared a photo on social media that shows him bloody and shirtless following the attack.
The president also criticized the laws in the District of Columbia, suggesting they aren't harsh enough on juvenile offenders and threatening federal control of Washington, D.C.
Elon Musk, who briefly led DOGE, has publicly praised the teen on X. Musk confirmed the Aug. 3 attack, sharing with his followers that Coristine was defending a woman when he was assaulted.
Musk agreed with Trump, adding that it is "time to federalize DC."
The case is under investigation by MPD’s carjacking task force.
NTD reached out to Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, but her office declined to respond, saying "no comment."
Earlier this year, a congressional intern was shot and killed in northwestern Washington.
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym died on June 30 after getting caught in gunfire between two groups. The young intern worked for Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.).
Homicides are down 32 percent, robberies are down 39 percent, and armed carjackings are down 53 percent when compared with 2023 levels, the latest numbers show.