The Trump administrations crackdown on what the president calls out of control crime by drugged-out maniacs in the nations capital is having what may or may not be an unintended effect: decimating businesses in D.C.s normally thriving gayborhoods.Bars and restaurants in the Adams Morgan neighborhood and around the intersection of 14th Street and the U Street corridor are suffering dramatic drops in foot traffic and out-of-town weekend visitors amid the massive police presence, leading to huge revenue losses that owners describe as unsustainable. Related Trump administration cracks down on content at Smithsonian Institution Mark Rutstein, co-owner of Crush Dance Bar at 14th and U Streets NW, told CBS affiliateWUSAthat last Friday was the worst night the bar has seen since opening last year. He estimated losses to be about $15,000 for the normally packed house.Zach Renovtes managing partner of the District Eagle, Bunker, and Lucky Pollo said his bars suffered a comparable drop in business. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Friday, specifically, we saw a tremendous decline, to the tune of 40%, maybe even 50% in foot traffic, Renovtestold Metro Weekly. And people are scared, right? They see whats happening in the media, in the news. They see these police checkpoints going up, literally beside or adjacent to our venues. And they see increased police presence all along the corridor. Thats frightening.Checkpoints manned by a collection of often masked agents and troops from ICE, the FBI, Homeland Security, the National Guard, and DCs Metropolitan Police under the administrations control went up early last week around 14th and U. The checkpoints are making visitors and workers fearful of profiling by authorities. Local residents, furious with Trumps performative takeover of their city, have made vocal protests. Shouts of Go home, fascists! have competed with troops orders for drivers to pull over.As authorities ramped up their presence at the intersection on Sunday night (ahead of Trumps formal takeover declaration), one gay DC resident expressed his rage over their appearance with an extended verbal assault on officers that went viral on social media.Why are you here?! I dont want you in my city!screamed Sean Dunn, 37, an Air Force veteran who served in Afghanistan. He repeatedly accused the agents of being fascists before hurling a Subway sandwich at one of the officers, leading to his detainment. Dunn was released that night but arrested on Wednesday and charged with a felony. He was also fired by the administration from his job as a lawyer with the State Department. Coverage of the incident by right-wing media, vocal supporters of Trumps DC crackdown, was blatantly homophobic.Dunns frustration with the authoritarian presence is widely shared by business owners suffering its effects in the week since.This whole thing is being billed as a violent crime crackdown, but its just an immigration sweep, Crush Bars Rutstein told The Advocate.According to the owner, federal and local agencies staged checkpoints on Wednesday at 14th Street that led to 45 arrests, 29 of them immigration-related. Homeland Security agents, some hiding their faces behind balaclavas, were seen pulling a Latino man into an unmarked vehicle, he said. The takeover has inspired both protests and customer flight that are grinding business to a halt, Rutstein added.Despite Trumps claim that his occupation is addressing the worst violent crime ever, statistics reveal violent offenses aredown 26% in DC compared to last year, while violent crime overall reached itslowest level in three decades.While crime may down, Trumps own violent assault on the city shows no signs of slowing. Approximately 700 more National Guard troops are on their way from Ohio, West Virginia, and South Carolina, nearly doubling the current number stationed in the city to around 1,500. Observers have pointed out that red states are sending these troops to a Democratically controlled district with a 43% Black population.Adding to the authoritarian display: Under Trumps direction, the National Guard is preparing to carry weapons on Washington streets, according to The Wall Street Journal.Guard members may be armed consistent with their mission and training, said a Guard spokesperson.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.