Federal police surge, inflation slowing visits to Georgetown

Georgetown’s normally bustling streets seem to have grown quieter recently, and those who visit and work in the historic district say inflation and the surge in federal law enforcement are the reason.

These locals say the slowdown stems the presence of armed National Guardsmen on the area’s iconic streets, the threat of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and rising costs.

President Donald Trump announced the deployment of the National Guard in the capital on Aug. 11, saying it was intended to combat what he called a “crime emergency.” The move now appears to be affecting the city’s tourist districts, including Georgetown.

“Slower! Visitor traffic has been off and on since the National Guard arrived, and overall, it’s been getting slower and slower,” said Michael Williams, a National Park Service employee responsible for the Old Stone House.

Williams said the Old Stone House, the oldest building in Georgetown, even though not a large museum, traditionally attracted many visitors interested in its history. But now, fewer tourists are stopping by, he said.

He added that inflation is also a factor, even in one of Washington’s priciest neighborhoods.

“If prices were better, we would likely see better visitor numbers,” he said.

The combination of inflation and the federal surge also has placed a strain on Georgetown’s restaurants.

“Since the pandemic ended, business has steadily increased,” Marcelo Rodriguez, manager of Angola Ristorante Italia, said. “The National Guard’s deployment has discouraged some tourists from visiting, particularly Georgetown,” he said.

The recent drop in customer traffic is worrying, he said.

Rodriguez’s concerns is reflected in citywide data from OpenTable’s “State of the Industry” report, which found that the number of seated diners across D.C. have declined year-over-year since President Donald Trump announced the surge in federal law enforcement and the National Guard deployment, aside from the period of Summer Restaurant Week 2025.

“This isn’t a good signal. We don’t want to go through the struggles we faced during the pandemic this fall,” Rodriguez said.

In addition, Rodriguez noted that stricter ICE enforcement this year has made hiring staff more difficult, as even immigrants with legal status are hesitant to take risks.

For general visitors, they can smell something has changed in the area.

Christina Hoehner, a visitor from Virginia who sometimes comes to Georgetown University to see friends, said her visit this time left her a different impression.

“I’ve started to dislike the vibe here. There are armed National Guard troops everywhere, even though Georgetown has always been a safe and lively area,” she said. “Next time, I might meet my friends somewhere else.”

Hoehner added that while she understands the National Guard is also engaging in some beautification efforts in these two days, she still finds it silly given the number of professionals available to handle such tasks.

She is not alone in questioning the need for the National Guard deployment. Last week, Georgetown University students joined students from three other area universities in a walkout protesting the deployment.

In August, Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC, said it expected D.C. will see a 5.1 percent decrease in international travelers over 2025. The organization said these tourists in particular are “coveted” because they spend four times as much as domestic visitors.

However, a member of the Georgetown Business Association board of directors, Christopher Dent, disagreed, saying he saw no federal surge affecting Georgetown tourism and business.

Tourism and business in Georgetown are as good as it has been or better, Dent told The Wash, though he declined to give any further explanation.