can non us citizens visit the white house

White House tours are back: Here's what you need to know

I remember visiting the White House for the first time during former President George H.W. Bush's time in office.

A friend with a friend who worked in the Washington, D.C., landmark at the time — if that isn't a quintessential D.C. thing to say, I don't know what is — was couch surfing at my place and wanted to "pay" me with a tour of the presidential mansion.

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I happily accepted the offer and, not long after, found myself exploring the iconic building. In addition to checking out the usual rooms included in the tour, my friend scored us a peek inside the Oval Office, an experience I'll never forget.

Like many sites in D.C., the White House paused tours of its interior due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But after 14 months, the Biden Administration announced that tours will resume on Friday and Saturday mornings starting April 15.

As was the case before the pandemic, you can't just show up and ask for tickets. Instead, you'll need to plan your visit weeks in advance.

Before you finalize your itinerary, here's everything you need to know about White House tours, plus suggestions for where to stay nearby.

Although the White House is managed by the National Park Service, you can't reach out to the agency to get tickets. Instead, you'll need to request them from your member of Congress (or your embassy, if you're not a U.S. resident). You can do this between three months and 21 days in advance.

Tours are limited to Friday and Saturday mornings (excluding federal holidays or unless otherwise noted) from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, so you'll want to request your tickets as early as possible.

When you submit your request, be sure to include three potential dates for your tour, as well as the number of individuals in your party. Try to avoid the Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day and Christmas holidays, as tickets are a lot harder to come by during these busy times.

While you'll have a set tour time when you receive your tickets, know that unexpected events may occasionally cause your tour to be canceled at the last minute. If this happens, you'll need to submit a new request for a tour.

On the day of your tour, all members of your group who are 18 and older will need to present a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or military ID (or a passport, if they're from another country). Each person's name, date of birth, city and state given for the reserved tickets must exactly match the government-issued photo ID presented.

While face masks are not required during the tour, they will be available on site should you want to wear one. Items you're welcome to bring on the tour include:

• Compact cameras with lenses shorter than 3 inches long.
• Umbrellas without metal tips.
• Small personal items like wallets and cellphones.
• Items needed for medical purposes, such as wheelchairs (which you also can request at the Visitors Entrance), medications and mobility aids.

Keep in mind, though, that the White House's strict security protocols mean certain items are not permitted inside. These include:

• Video cameras, cameras with detachable lenses, tablets, iPads, tripods, monopods and cameras sticks.
• Bags of any kind (handbags, purses, book bags, backpacks, diaper bags and camera bags).
• Any pointed object, including pocket knives.
• Food, liquids, aerosols, tobacco products and personal grooming items (makeup, lotion, etc.).
• Guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons and devices, toy weapons and knives of any kind.

There is no storage available at the White House or the White House Visitor Center, so plan on keeping any prohibited items in your hotel safe or leaving them with a companion who isn't taking the tour.

What you'll see

After you've made your way through security, you'll embark on an hourlong tour that includes stops at several well-known spots in the building, including the family theater, the East Room (which you may recognize from press conferences and special events), the State Dining Room (a banquet hall and ceremonial chamber for official events) and the Blue Room (a reception room famous for its decorations during the holiday season).

Depending on what's going on during your visit (or who you know), you may also have the chance to see other spaces like the Oval Office and the South Lawn, where Marine One (the presidential helicopter) lands and departs.

To supplement your White House tour, check out the adjacent White House Visitor Center . Open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the center is home to roughly 100 historical artifacts and offers an interactive touchscreen tour of the White House.

There's also the nearby White House Historical Association retail store , which sells a great selection of souvenirs, including history books, jewelry, cherry blossom items and the official White House Christmas ornament.

Where to stay

Washington, D.C. is home to many chain, independent and boutique hotels, and luckily, some of the best ones happen to be within walking distance of the White House. Here are some of my personal favorites — and their current room rates for October 2022.

Related: Best hotel credit cards

The Hay-Adams

This historic hotel located between the White House and Lafayette Park regularly shows up on lists of the best hotels in D.C., and for good reason. If you play your cards right, you can snag a room with White House and Washington Monument views.

Speaking of views, the property's top-floor Top of the Hay has French doors that open onto a wraparound balcony with panoramic White House and city skyline vistas. It has a full-service rooftop kitchen, making it a terrific space for meetings and special occasions.

Since The Hay-Adams is a boutique hotel, it does not participate in any major brand's loyalty program. As a result, you'll need to pay cash for your stay. Standard superior rooms start at $439 a night.

Hotel Washington

For a while, this 105-year-old hotel was known as the W Washington DC, but it reverted back to its original name in August 2021.

The chic property is known for the Vue, an open-air space regularly touted as one of the city's best rooftop bars. You'll also find a mix of rooms and suites, including some with jaw-dropping city views.

Cash rates for a standard queen room at this independently operated hotel start at $337 per night, but if you're looking for a show-stopping view, consider upgrading to one of the Monument suites. You'll enjoy sweet views of the Washington Monument for a minimum of $580 a night.

JW Marriott Washington, DC

One of Marriott's flagship hotels just happens to sit right on Pennsylvania Avenue, less than two blocks away from the White House and next door to the National Theatre.

Like other hotels on this list, the JW Marriott Washington, DC boasts rooms with incredible views of downtown and the city's popular monuments. You'll also find a moody bar and an American-inspired restaurant on site, should you crave a cocktail or bite to eat after sightseeing.

While standard rooms do not come with a Washington Monument view, for a slight price increase, you can reserve a king bedroom that overlooks the monument starting at $359 a night. If you have a stash of Marriott Bonvoy points, you can apply 50,000 to 60,000 points per night to cover a stay here.

Willard InterContinental Washington DC

The history of this hotel, which opened in 1818, almost goes back to the start of the republic. As such, it was the place to see and be seen for centuries.

When I moved to D.C. in 1978, the iconic Willard had been closed for 10 years and was just a decaying building on Pennsylvania Avenue. That same year, a team was chosen to redevelop the hotel into the stunning property it is today.

Ever since reopening in 1986, the IHG-affiliated hotel has drawn visitors with its ornate lobby and classically-styled rooms.

To book a king room with a premium view, expect to spend at least $517 per night or apply a minimum of 53,000 to 94,000 IHG Rewards points per night.

Kimpton Banneker Hotel

Located on a tree-lined avenue with a view down 16th Street Northwest to the White House, this Kimpton outpost is slightly off the beaten path ... in a good way.

The property's Lady Bird rooftop bar features a bird's-eye view of D.C., including an unobstructed look at the White House, and a centerpiece U-shaped bar. Rooms and suites feature modern, eye-catching designs with colorful local art and bold accent walls.

Because this property participates in the IHG Rewards program, you can use either cash or points to pay for a room here. A standard room with two queen beds starts at $315 or 53,000 points per night.

From vaccines to testing: What travelers need to know before the new US travel system on Nov. 8

• The U.S. is launching a new travel system on Nov. 8.
• Vaccinated foreign air travelers will need to show proof of full vaccination and test for COVID-19.
• The new travel system also adds more stringent testing requirements for unvaccinated U.S. travelers.

The United States is about to make it much easier for vaccinated international travelers to visit.  

The White House announced that a new air travel system will take effect Nov. 8, allowing entry for fully vaccinated foreign tourists .  The system is set to launch nearly two years after the U.S. began imposing travel restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 . 

The move by the White House will essentially have the U.S. drop its travel ban on dozens of countries while also making entry more challenging for the unvaccinated. The new system will allow entry for foreign nationals only with vaccinations approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization and would add testing requirements for unvaccinated Americans.

Here’s what we know about the new travel requirements:

What are the entry requirements for foreign nationals?

Starting Nov. 8, non-citizen, non-immigrant air travelers   will need to show proof of full vaccination as well as a pre-departure negative coronavirus test taken within three days of travel before they can board a plane to the U.S. 

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Acceptable forms of proof of vaccination include:

• Digital or paper verifiable record, such as a vaccination certificate or a digital pass with a QR code.  
• Nonverifiable paper record, such as a printout of a COVID-19 vaccination record or COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
• Nonverifiable digital record, such as a digital photo of a vaccination card or record, downloaded vaccine record, downloaded vaccination certificate or a mobile phone application without a QR code.  

The U.S. will accept nucleic acid amplification tests, including PCR tests, and antigen tests. The rules will go into effect for passengers on planes leaving for the U.S. at or after 12:01 a.m. ET on Nov. 8.  

Airlines will collect basic personal contact information   from all U.S.-bound travelers for contact tracing. Airlines are required to keep the information on hand so the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   can reach out to travelers who may have been infected or exposed to COVID-19.

Masking will be required, but there will be no quarantine mandate for vaccinated travelers or unvaccinated children .

► US  travel bans: How COVID-19 travel restrictions have impacted families and couples

The change will make entering the U.S. possible for travelers from countries now listed on the U.S. travel ban, which prohibits entry for travelers who have been in any of the regions within the past 14 days. The travel ban  took effect in early 2020 and includes :

• United Kingdom
• Republic of Ireland
• South Africa
• The European Schengen area (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City)

Currently, the U.S. asks international air passengers only to get tested within three days of their flight to the U.S. and show either the negative test result or proof of recovery  from COVID-19 before boarding. 

What about the land borders with Mexico and Canada?

New travel rules will also take effect for foreign nationals arriving by land or passenger ferry.

Starting Nov. 8, fully vaccinated foreign nationals can cross the land borders for nonessential reasons such as tourism or visiting friends and family . These travelers will need to verbally attest to their reason for travel and vaccination status and be prepared to show proof of vaccination  upon request. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will accept both digital and paper records showing proof of vaccination, including documents not in English.   Foreign nationals will also need appropriate travel documentation to enter the country.  

CBP will spot-check travelers' vaccination documents, and those without documented proof of vaccination can be denied entry. Travelers under 18 will be exempt from the vaccination requirement as long as they are traveling with a fully vaccinated adult, according to Matthew Davies, CBP's executive director of admissibility and passenger programs.  

The new travel rules will go into effect as soon as a port of entry opens on Nov. 8, or at midnight for ports that operate 24 hours a day changes will go into effect at midnight on Nov. 8 for ports that operation 24 hours a day.  

U.S. citizens reentering the country should also bring a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative document, such as a valid passport, trusted traveler program card, enhanced driver's license or enhanced tribal card. 

Entry rules along the border will change again in early January, with all travelers – including those traveling for essential purposes – required to show proof of full vaccination. 

► US land borders: Travelers in Mexico and Canada plan their next US visit after new land border policy announced

Which vaccines does the US accept for travel?

The CDC has announced that vaccines approved for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization will be accepted for air travel. White House officials expect the CDC to approve the same vaccines for travelers entering the U.S. by land or ferry.  

The FDA has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use during the pandemic: Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer-BioNTech, the last of which has received the FDA's full stamp of approval.

Vaccines with WHO approval for emergency use include:

• Johnson & Johnson
• Pfizer-BioNTech
• Oxford-AstraZeneca/Covishield 

The CDC confirmed that it would accept a mix-and-match approach to vaccinations. Travelers who have any combination of FDA- or WHO-approved vaccines will be considered fully vaccinated.

The new travel policy does not accept foreign travelers who have had COVID and received just one shot in a two-dose series. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that the administration will "continue to review" its entry requirements.  

► Covaxin gets WHO emergency approval: Travelers vaccinated with Covaxin can enter US   

► 'You feel lonely and left out': These fully vaccinated travelers want to visit the US. They may not be allowed in.

How do the new rules affect kids? 

Foreign nationals under 18 are exempt from the vaccination requirement. Children under two will not need to take a pre-departure COVID test.

Kids 2 and older traveling with a fully vaccinated adult can test three days prior to departure, while children traveling alone or with unvaccinated adults will need to get tested within one day of departure. 

Currently, all air passengers 2 or older, including U.S. citizens and permanent residents, need to show a negative coronavirus test to fly to the U.S.

What are the entry requirements for Americans?

The new travel system adds more stringent testing requirements for unvaccinated U.S. travelers.

Starting Nov. 8, unvaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents will need to take a test one day before departure and test again upon arrival in the U.S. 

► New travel rules: What US travelers need to know about the new COVID rules for international flights

Entry requirements will not change for vaccinated Americans. They will still need to show proof of a negative coronavirus test taken no more than three days before departure. 

Americans will not need to be fully vaccinated to board international flights to the U.S.

Are there any exemptions?

There is a limited set of travelers who are exempt from the vaccine requirement for entry.

Children under 18, certain COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial participants and travelers with adverse reactions to the vaccines – such as people who have had severe anaphylactic allergic reactions to a prior COVID-19 vaccine –  will be exempt.

People traveling on non-tourist visas from countries with less than 10% of its population vaccinated who need to enter the U.S. for emergency or humanitarian reasons are also exempt from the vaccine requirement. There are about 50 countries considered to have low vaccine availability at this time.

These exempt travelers will generally need to show that they will comply with public health mandates, including a requirement to be vaccinated in the U.S. if they plan to stay more than 60 days.  

Unless they have recovered from COVID-19 within the last 90 days, unvaccinated travelers  must agree to be tested with a COVID-19 viral test three to five days after their arrival and quarantine for seven days, even if their post-arrival test comes back negative. 

Unvaccinated travelers who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must also agree to self-isolate if their post-arrival test is positive or if they develop COVID-19 symptoms. 

Unvaccinated children under 18 will not need to quarantine but will still need to take a post-arrival test. 

► Who is exempt?: These select groups of unvaccinated foreign travelers can enter the US

The CDC will not give exemptions  to people who object to the vaccinations due to religious or moral convictions. 

There will also be testing accommodations for travelers who can prove they recently recovered from the coronavirus. These travelers will need to show a positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before their flight's departure and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or public health official saying they are cleared for travel.  

Follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz . 

How Can I Tour the White House in Washington, DC?

Everything you need to know about planning a visit to the country’s most famous house., requesting a white house tour.

Touring the White House requires some advance planning. Public tour requests must be made through your member of Congress ( find your member of Congress and contact information ) and submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days prior to your visit. If you're an international visitor and wish to schedule a tour, please contact your home country’s embassy in Washington, DC.

You are encouraged to submit your tour request as early as possible as tours fill up quickly and a limited number of spaces are available. Tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. All White House tours are free. Please note tours are subject to last-minute cancellations based on the official White House schedule.

Public, self-guided tours are 45 minutes and are run between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays unless otherwise noted. For complete details on White House tours, visit the White House tours and events page or call the White House Visitors Office 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041. The White House is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Touring the White House - Washington, DC

What to expect on a White House tour

If there is a tour slot available during your visit to DC, you will be given a specific date and time to arrive and be instructed on where to check in. All guests over 18 years old will be required to present a valid, government-issued photo ID upon check-in. Foreign nationals must present their passport. Please bring as little as possible (avoid backpacks, food, large handbags, bottled water, etc.). Note that smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches are permitted on the public tour route, but video recording devices and flash photography are not allowed inside the White House. Visitors will go through security prior to entering the White House. There are no restrooms available at the White House. The closest restroom is located at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion nearby.

Public tours of the White House include the public rooms in the East Wing, which includes the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden. Secret Service members are stationed in each room and are available to answer questions about the history and architecture of each room.

You can also visit the White House Visitor Center   before or after your tour.

Stephen Melkisethian

How to get to the White House

The closest Metro stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (Blue and Orange lines), Metro Center (Blue, Orange and Red lines) and McPherson Square (Blue and Orange lines). Please note there is NO PARKING near the White House. Public transportation is strongly encouraged.

@abroadwife

How to tour the White House Garden

Another opportunity to visit the White House is to attend either its fall or spring garden tour. Check whitehouse.gov in early October and April. The announcement of the garden tours is usually made within a week or two of when they take place. Garden tours generally run for two consecutive days. They may be canceled due to poor weather. A ticket is required for all attendees (including small children). Usually, tickets are distributed by the National Park Service at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion on 15th and E streets NW on each tour day beginning at 9 a.m. Review the announcement for specific details.

Will I still be able to see the White House without going on a tour?

While visitors are not allowed entry to the White House without requesting a tour through your congressional representative, you will still be able to see the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue NW at Lafayette Square and view the White House and the South Lawn from the Ellipse. Please note that a new fence is currently under construction at the White House, as the current 6-foot fence is being replaced by a stronger, wider fence that will be 13 feet.

Where can I store my belongings during the tour?

It is important to note that security at the White House is extremely high. If your hotel is nearby, we suggest leaving your belongings in your room during the tour. If this is not possible, there are a few other options. You can designate one member of your tour group to hold everyone’s belongings. That person can take the self-guided tour once his or her group has finished the tour.

If you're a ticketed Amtrak customer, you may be able to check luggage in advance at  Union Station . These are located near Gate A. Lockers are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. A photo ID is required and lockers must be paid for via cash or credit in advance. Rates are $3-$6 per hour per bag depending on the size of your bag. For questions on bag storage, please call 202-906-3000.

Catch up on White House history with the free podcas t The 1600 Sessions and enhance your trip with the  White House Experience app  from the White House Historical Association. The app offers three tour experiences, including a virtual tour of the White House (with rooms you normally don't see on the tour), a neighborhood walking tour and a room-by-room guide for visitors on an in-person tour of the White House.

Now that you have read up on the White House, explore DC’s other awesome  monuments and memorials .

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White House Tours and Visiting Washington DC

White house tours.

*** The Embassy is unable to facilitate or arrange tours of the White House for the Australian public.

Although the White House website states that tours can be arranged by the Embassy, we are unable to facilitate tours for members of the Australian public due to excessive demand for limited availability and White House requirements.

Tours parties must be escorted by a very senior diplomat; be coordinated and cleared far in advance by the Embassy, the US Department of State and the White House; are limited to a maximum of 5 visitors per tour; and are subject to cancellation at short notice.

This advice is reviewed regularly and remains current. ***  

You may wish to explore alternative White House experiences, including a visit to The White House Visitor Center . You can also take a White House 360 Virtual Tour .

Further details can be found on The White House website.

Other attractions in Washington DC include the iconic  US Capitol Building and National Mall , the city’s many famous  monuments and memorials , the world-class Smithsonian Institution museums, galleries and National Zoo , the National Archives  and Arlington National Cemetery . 

The National Park Service (NPS) arranges tours of many of these sites, as well as others in and around the city. 

For further information and ideas, visit https://washington.org/ .  

Visiting Washington DC

Whatever you decide to see and do while you're here, plan ahead. Washington DC is one of the most visited cities in the United States. Long lines and large crowds are common, particularly on holiday weekends (e.g. Memorial Day weekend and 4 July) and during peak tourist season (March to August). 

Below are some other things to keep in mind when visiting Washington DC: 

• As in most major cities, tourists are often targets for thieves. This can happen anywhere but is particularly prevalent in crowded areas and on public transport. Pay close attention to your personal belongings and carry with you only what you need.
• Stay vigilant and take particular care when moving through unfamiliar and/or potentially unsafe areas, particularly at night. (Visit Smartraveller to read our full Travel Advice for the United States .)
• While admission to many attractions is free, some require you to apply ahead of time for tickets or timed-entry passes. Demand often means that these tickets or passes need to be booked months in advance. Check the websites of attractions that you plan to visit for further information. 
• Many public buildings and US government facilities allow entry to US citizens only (e.g. the Pentagon ); 
• Public buildings and many other venues require you to present government-issued photo ID upon entry. Carry your passport with you, as other forms of Australian government-issued ID (eg. driver’s licences) may not be accepted.  
• Expect airport-style security screening when entering public buildings and other venues. This may include x-ray inspections and bag searches. Arrive early and allow extra time for screening. 
• Many venues prohibit entry with certain everyday items, including backpacks, handbags and umbrellas. If you plan to carry anything more than a wallet, cell phone and car keys, check the websites of venues that you plan on attending.

Enjoy your visit!  

Biden administration planning to require foreign visitors be fully vaccinated

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is developing a plan that will require foreign visitors to the U.S. to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, a White House official said Wednesday.

The plan is in the works now so it will be ready when the U.S. reopens, the official told NBC News. Current travel restrictions remain in place because of concerns about the delta variant .

Reuters was first to report the Biden administration's plans.

The U.S. bars entry for most noncitizens who have been in the U.K., European Union nations, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran or Brazil within the last 14 days. It's unclear when the U.S. might lift those restrictions.

The more transmissible delta variant is spreading, both in the U.S. and around the world, and U.S. officials are working to develop a plan for a consistent and safe international travel policy, the official said.

The vaccination requirement for foreign visitors would take a phased approach, the official said, and it would include limited exceptions.

The interagency working groups are developing a policy and planning process to be prepared for when the time is right to move to the new system, the official added.

Kelly O’Donnell is Senior White House correspondent for NBC News.

Dartunorro Clark covered national politics, including the Covid-19 recovery, for NBC News.

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What the data says about crime in the U.S.

A growing share of Americans say reducing crime should be a top priority for the president and Congress to address this year. Around six-in-ten U.S. adults (58%) hold that view today, up from 47% at the beginning of Joe Biden’s presidency in 2021.

We conducted this analysis to learn more about U.S. crime patterns and how those patterns have changed over time.

The analysis relies on statistics published by the FBI, which we accessed through the Crime Data Explorer , and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), which we accessed through the  National Crime Victimization Survey data analysis tool .

To measure public attitudes about crime in the U.S., we relied on survey data from Pew Research Center and Gallup.

Additional details about each data source, including survey methodologies, are available by following the links in the text of this analysis.

With the issue likely to come up in this year’s presidential election, here’s what we know about crime in the United States, based on the latest available data from the federal government and other sources.

How much crime is there in the U.S.?

It’s difficult to say for certain. The  two primary sources of government crime statistics  – the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) – paint an incomplete picture.

The FBI publishes  annual data  on crimes that have been reported to law enforcement, but not crimes that haven’t been reported. Historically, the FBI has also only published statistics about a handful of specific violent and property crimes, but not many other types of crime, such as drug crime. And while the FBI’s data is based on information from thousands of federal, state, county, city and other police departments, not all law enforcement agencies participate every year. In 2022, the most recent full year with available statistics, the FBI received data from 83% of participating agencies .

BJS, for its part, tracks crime by fielding a  large annual survey of Americans ages 12 and older and asking them whether they were the victim of certain types of crime in the past six months. One advantage of this approach is that it captures both reported and unreported crimes. But the BJS survey has limitations of its own. Like the FBI, it focuses mainly on a handful of violent and property crimes. And since the BJS data is based on after-the-fact interviews with crime victims, it cannot provide information about one especially high-profile type of offense: murder.

All those caveats aside, looking at the FBI and BJS statistics side-by-side  does  give researchers a good picture of U.S. violent and property crime rates and how they have changed over time. In addition, the FBI is transitioning to a new data collection system – known as the National Incident-Based Reporting System – that eventually will provide national information on a much larger set of crimes , as well as details such as the time and place they occur and the types of weapons involved, if applicable.

Which kinds of crime are most and least common?

Property crime in the U.S. is much more common than violent crime. In 2022, the FBI reported a total of 1,954.4 property crimes per 100,000 people, compared with 380.7 violent crimes per 100,000 people.  

By far the most common form of property crime in 2022 was larceny/theft, followed by motor vehicle theft and burglary. Among violent crimes, aggravated assault was the most common offense, followed by robbery, rape, and murder/nonnegligent manslaughter.

BJS tracks a slightly different set of offenses from the FBI, but it finds the same overall patterns, with theft the most common form of property crime in 2022 and assault the most common form of violent crime.

How have crime rates in the U.S. changed over time?

Both the FBI and BJS data show dramatic declines in U.S. violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s, when crime spiked across much of the nation.

Using the FBI data, the violent crime rate fell 49% between 1993 and 2022, with large decreases in the rates of robbery (-74%), aggravated assault (-39%) and murder/nonnegligent manslaughter (-34%). It’s not possible to calculate the change in the rape rate during this period because the FBI  revised its definition of the offense in 2013 .

The FBI data also shows a 59% reduction in the U.S. property crime rate between 1993 and 2022, with big declines in the rates of burglary (-75%), larceny/theft (-54%) and motor vehicle theft (-53%).

Using the BJS statistics, the declines in the violent and property crime rates are even steeper than those captured in the FBI data. Per BJS, the U.S. violent and property crime rates each fell 71% between 1993 and 2022.

While crime rates have fallen sharply over the long term, the decline hasn’t always been steady. There have been notable increases in certain kinds of crime in some years, including recently.

In 2020, for example, the U.S. murder rate saw its largest single-year increase on record – and by 2022, it remained considerably higher than before the coronavirus pandemic. Preliminary data for 2023, however, suggests that the murder rate fell substantially last year .

How do Americans perceive crime in their country?

Americans tend to believe crime is up, even when official data shows it is down.

In 23 of 27 Gallup surveys conducted since 1993 , at least 60% of U.S. adults have said there is more crime nationally than there was the year before, despite the downward trend in crime rates during most of that period.

While perceptions of rising crime at the national level are common, fewer Americans believe crime is up in their own communities. In every Gallup crime survey since the 1990s, Americans have been much less likely to say crime is up in their area than to say the same about crime nationally.

Public attitudes about crime differ widely by Americans’ party affiliation, race and ethnicity, and other factors . For example, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are much more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners to say reducing crime should be a top priority for the president and Congress this year (68% vs. 47%), according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

How does crime in the U.S. differ by demographic characteristics?

Some groups of Americans are more likely than others to be victims of crime. In the  2022 BJS survey , for example, younger people and those with lower incomes were far more likely to report being the victim of a violent crime than older and higher-income people.

There were no major differences in violent crime victimization rates between male and female respondents or between those who identified as White, Black or Hispanic. But the victimization rate among Asian Americans (a category that includes Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders) was substantially lower than among other racial and ethnic groups.

The same BJS survey asks victims about the demographic characteristics of the offenders in the incidents they experienced.

In 2022, those who are male, younger people and those who are Black accounted for considerably larger shares of perceived offenders in violent incidents than their respective shares of the U.S. population. Men, for instance, accounted for 79% of perceived offenders in violent incidents, compared with 49% of the nation’s 12-and-older population that year. Black Americans accounted for 25% of perceived offenders in violent incidents, about twice their share of the 12-and-older population (12%).

As with all surveys, however, there are several potential sources of error, including the possibility that crime victims’ perceptions about offenders are incorrect.

How does crime in the U.S. differ geographically?

There are big geographic differences in violent and property crime rates.

For example, in 2022, there were more than 700 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in New Mexico and Alaska. That compares with fewer than 200 per 100,000 people in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine, according to the FBI.

The FBI notes that various factors might influence an area’s crime rate, including its population density and economic conditions.

What percentage of crimes are reported to police? What percentage are solved?

Most violent and property crimes in the U.S. are not reported to police, and most of the crimes that  are  reported are not solved.

In its annual survey, BJS asks crime victims whether they reported their crime to police. It found that in 2022, only 41.5% of violent crimes and 31.8% of household property crimes were reported to authorities. BJS notes that there are many reasons why crime might not be reported, including fear of reprisal or of “getting the offender in trouble,” a feeling that police “would not or could not do anything to help,” or a belief that the crime is “a personal issue or too trivial to report.”

Most of the crimes that are reported to police, meanwhile,  are not solved , at least based on an FBI measure known as the clearance rate . That’s the share of cases each year that are closed, or “cleared,” through the arrest, charging and referral of a suspect for prosecution, or due to “exceptional” circumstances such as the death of a suspect or a victim’s refusal to cooperate with a prosecution. In 2022, police nationwide cleared 36.7% of violent crimes that were reported to them and 12.1% of the property crimes that came to their attention.

Which crimes are most likely to be reported to police? Which are most likely to be solved?

Around eight-in-ten motor vehicle thefts (80.9%) were reported to police in 2022, making them by far the most commonly reported property crime tracked by BJS. Household burglaries and trespassing offenses were reported to police at much lower rates (44.9% and 41.2%, respectively), while personal theft/larceny and other types of theft were only reported around a quarter of the time.

Among violent crimes – excluding homicide, which BJS doesn’t track – robbery was the most likely to be reported to law enforcement in 2022 (64.0%). It was followed by aggravated assault (49.9%), simple assault (36.8%) and rape/sexual assault (21.4%).

The list of crimes  cleared  by police in 2022 looks different from the list of crimes reported. Law enforcement officers were generally much more likely to solve violent crimes than property crimes, according to the FBI.

The most frequently solved violent crime tends to be homicide. Police cleared around half of murders and nonnegligent manslaughters (52.3%) in 2022. The clearance rates were lower for aggravated assault (41.4%), rape (26.1%) and robbery (23.2%).

When it comes to property crime, law enforcement agencies cleared 13.0% of burglaries, 12.4% of larcenies/thefts and 9.3% of motor vehicle thefts in 2022.

Are police solving more or fewer crimes than they used to?

Nationwide clearance rates for both violent and property crime are at their lowest levels since at least 1993, the FBI data shows.

Police cleared a little over a third (36.7%) of the violent crimes that came to their attention in 2022, down from nearly half (48.1%) as recently as 2013. During the same period, there were decreases for each of the four types of violent crime the FBI tracks:

• Police cleared 52.3% of reported murders and nonnegligent homicides in 2022, down from 64.1% in 2013.
• They cleared 41.4% of aggravated assaults, down from 57.7%.
• They cleared 26.1% of rapes, down from 40.6%.
• They cleared 23.2% of robberies, down from 29.4%.

The pattern is less pronounced for property crime. Overall, law enforcement agencies cleared 12.1% of reported property crimes in 2022, down from 19.7% in 2013. The clearance rate for burglary didn’t change much, but it fell for larceny/theft (to 12.4% in 2022 from 22.4% in 2013) and motor vehicle theft (to 9.3% from 14.2%).

Note: This is an update of a post originally published on Nov. 20, 2020.

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John Gramlich is an associate director at Pew Research Center

8 facts about Black Lives Matter

#blacklivesmatter turns 10, support for the black lives matter movement has dropped considerably from its peak in 2020, fewer than 1% of federal criminal defendants were acquitted in 2022, before release of video showing tyre nichols’ beating, public views of police conduct had improved modestly, most popular.

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Juggling Campaign and Foreign Policy, Biden Sends Complicated Messages

The president signed a bill that could ban TikTok even as his re-election team uses it to reach young voters. It was hardly the first internal disparity on matters around the globe.

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By Peter Baker

Reporting from Washington

President Biden just signed a bill that could ban President Biden from using TikTok. But Mr. Biden plans to keep using TikTok until Mr. Biden’s new law forces Mr. Biden off it.

His political team in Wilmington, Del., after all, considers TikTok a vital tool to reach young voters who could be crucial to his chances of winning re-election this fall. The problem is that his national security team in Washington considers the Chinese-owned social media site a threat to America that should be banned if it is not sold.

Reconciling those two imperatives left Mr. Biden’s government and campaign advisers laboring on Wednesday to explain the competing rationales. But it is not the only time that Campaign Joe and Foreign Policy Joe have been at odds in recent months. Campaign Joe tells stories on the trail that Foreign Policy Joe’s staff then has to clean up — or try to ignore as best as possible. Campaign Joe prefers blunt talk. Foreign Policy Joe has to worry about diplomacy.

The disconnect is hardly unprecedented in an election year. Every president seeking a second term finds himself juggling two different jobs with two different priorities at the same time: running the country and running for office. A candidate is focused on firing up supporters and tearing down the other side. A commander in chief has to worry about what might be best for the nation even if it is not necessarily best for his electoral chances.

Still, the disparity between Wilmington and Washington has been on display lately . When former President Donald J. Trump hosted Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary at Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump’s Florida estate and club, Mr. Biden’s Delaware-based campaign assailed Mr. Orban as “a dictator.” The White House, however, refused to use that term for a NATO ally.

Just last week, Mr. Biden told two campaign audiences that after being shot down during World War II, his uncle might have been eaten by cannibals in Papua New Guinea. Unsurprisingly, that rather peeved the island nation’s leaders at a time when the president has been courting them as part of his Indo-Pacific strategy.

“Like most effective incumbent presidents, President Biden can navigate doing two things at once: being commander in chief, and barnstorming the battlegrounds, taking his popular and historic agenda to the voters who will decide this election,” Kevin Munoz, a campaign spokesman, said in a statement. “It’s a stark contrast to Trump, who couldn’t manage the day job when he was in office and can’t seem to wake up to the fact that he’s running on a deeply toxic agenda that will lose him the election again this November.”

Problematic offhand remarks have long been a challenge for Mr. Biden, who once called himself “a gaffe machine.” Campaigns result in more opportunities to go off script than speaking off a teleprompter in the East Room, so the White House cleanup squad invariably has a surge in business at this point in the electoral cycle.

It was at a campaign fund-raiser last year that Mr. Biden referred to President Xi Jinping of China as “a dictator” — just a day after Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken had met with Mr. Xi in Beijing in an effort to smooth over friction in the U.S.-Chinese relationship. When Mr. Biden was later asked at a news conference if he would still call Mr. Xi a dictator, he said, “Well, look — he is,” and Mr. Blinken, sitting nearby, appeared to wince .

Not that anyone in Washington would privately dispute that Mr. Xi is a dictator. But as a matter of timing, saying it out loud complicated Mr. Blinken’s diplomacy. As it happens, Mr. Blinken seems to have remarkable timing when it comes to these things. Where was the secretary on Wednesday when Mr. Biden signed the TikTok legislation? He had just landed in Beijing for more talks with Chinese leaders.

Mr. Orban is another leader widely considered a dictator in Washington. But because he leads a treaty ally of the United States, official criticism of his policies cracking down on democracy is usually more measured.

Not so when Mr. Orban met with Mr. Trump last month. “Donald Trump is kicking off the general election” by welcoming rogues like “Hungarian dictator Viktor Orban,” the Biden campaign said in an emailed statement. Mr. Biden himself, at a later campaign stop, did not go quite that far but referred to Mr. Orban as someone “looking for dictatorship.”

The statements prompted outrage in Budapest, where Mr. Orban’s government summoned the U.S. ambassador to protest. “We are not obliged to tolerate such lies from anyone, even if that person happens to be the president of the United States of America,” Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto complained at a news conference.

That left Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, in the awkward position of declining to say whether Mr. Orban is a dictator. “I’m not going to speak on behalf of the Biden campaign,” he told reporters at a briefing . “You should direct those questions to the campaign.” He did express “our deep concerns about Hungary’s assault on democratic institutions.”

Heather A. Conley, the president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a research group that promotes democracy, noted that Mr. Orban had injected himself into America’s politics, attending the Conservative Political Action Conference and declaring after his Mar-a-Lago visit that it would be “better for Hungary” if Mr. Trump returned to power.

“Tragically, Hungary has become both a foreign policy and a campaign issue,” she said. Still, she added, calling Mr. Orban a dictator has concrete foreign policy implications. “Should a NATO member, head of state, government be declared a ‘dictator,’ the country would be placed in a special penalty box until the dictatorship is over,” she said, recalling the military junta that took over Greece from 1967 to 1974.

Last week’s presidential cannibal storytelling provoked a backlash of its own. Mr. Biden was talking about his uncle’s death in World War II. “He got shot down in New Guinea, and they never found the body because there used to be — there were a lot of cannibals, for real, in that part of New Guinea,” he said at one stop.

Never mind that the story does not even appear to be true. According to Pentagon records , his uncle, Second Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan, was a passenger on a military plane that crashed in the Pacific off the northern coast of what was then the territory of New Guinea on May 14, 1944, after its engines failed. Mr. Finnegan and two crew members disappeared and were presumed dead, but the report does not indicate that the plane was shot down, much less that anyone encountered cannibals.

The president’s comments did not go over well in Papua New Guinea, with whom Mr. Biden has been trying to strengthen relations as part of his effort to counter Chinese aggression in the region. “President Biden’s remarks may have been a slip of the tongue; however, my country does not deserve to be labeled as such,” Prime Minister James Marape said.

Gordon Peake, an expert in the region at the United States Institute of Peace, said the flap was a reminder that comments could have unintended consequences. “Papua New Guinea and the wider Pacific, traditionally a bit of a diplomatic backwater for the major powers, is now something of a seller’s market as competition ramps up,” he said. “So words are mattering now more than ever.”

The new TikTok law was part of a $95 billion foreign aid measure to provide arms to Ukraine and Israel for their ongoing wars and to bolster Taiwan against possible Chinese aggression. Under the law, TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, has to sell within 270 days , or about nine months, or shut down operations in the United States because of concerns over sensitive privacy information and propaganda. The president can extend that deadline to a year.

That means that Mr. Biden’s campaign can continue to use TikTok through the November election. Mr. Sullivan, the national security adviser, declined to say whether the campaign should leave the platform in the meantime. “I’m going to let campaigns decide for themselves what they’re going to do,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, emphasized that TikTok did not necessarily face a ban if it could find a buyer. “We want to see a divestment,” she said. “We want to see it being sold, and we do not seek a ban.”

She added that the White House was not urging anyone to leave the platform in the interim. “We’re not saying that we do not want Americans to use TikTok,” she said. “We want to make sure it’s done in a way that we protect our national security and we protect Americans.”

But in fact, the Biden administration has told some Americans not to use TikTok, or at least limited how they use it. Last year, it banned federal employees from having TikTok on their government devices, a rule that applied to federal contractors and any personal devices used for federal work.

The bill that Mr. Biden signed on Wednesday exemplified the conflict between foreign policy and electoral considerations. Not only did he risk alienating millions of young people who use TikTok, but the measure also included billions of dollars in arms for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, even though his support for Israel has cost him support among young progressives outraged by the civilian casualty toll.

In his comments on signing the bill, Mr. Biden emphasized that it included money for humanitarian relief in Gaza. But he made no mention of TikTok.

About three hours later, his campaign posted its latest video on TikTok attacking Mr. Trump.

Peter Baker is the chief White House correspondent for The Times. He has covered the last five presidents and sometimes writes analytical pieces that place presidents and their administrations in a larger context and historical framework. More about Peter Baker

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Thank you, longhorn74, for your up-to-date information! I will contact my Representive instead. Thanks again for saving my time.

And while you're at it, you ought to ask for House and Senate gallery passes for your mom. And perhaps a Capitol tour ticket as well. If I recall correctly, the tour service can provide a Chinese-languge handout if your mum might have trouble following the rapid-fire narration of the guides.

I don't think there is a problem getting passes to the Senate and House galleries as long as they are available the day you go by the desk inside the Capitol Visitor Center. I am not positive though.

"How can I watch the House or Senate in session?

The Senate and House Galleries are open to visitors whenever either body is in session. In addition, the House Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, when the House is not in session. The last entry may be earlier than 4:15 p.m. based upon demand. Visitors should arrive prior to 4 p.m. for the best opportunity to view the House Gallery. The House Gallery is closed on holidays and is subject to unplanned temporary closures when the House is out of session. The Senate Gallery is open during scheduled recesses, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Entry to the House and Senate Galleries is through the Capitol Visitor Center on the upper level.

Gallery passes are required to enter either Gallery at any time. Visitors may obtain Gallery passes from the offices of their Senators or Representatives. International visitors may inquire about Gallery passes at the House and Senate Appointment Desks on the upper level of the Visitor Center near the main entrance. Visitors are not allowed to bring battery-operated electronic devices (medical devices are permitted); cameras; creams, lotions or perfumes; strollers; or video recorders or any type of recording device into the Galleries. These items may be stored securely in the Gallery staging areas while visitors are in the Galleries."

http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/visit/frequently_asked_questions/#q25

Thanks for the advice Darell6t, most helpful.

Guess after we raised the tax on tea, I should have expected this LOL!

Don't blame the US. It is your embassy here in DC that is uncooperative. If they were willing to put together tours for UK citizens you could apply for a tour. But like most of the embassies, they have stopped doing that. And it really isn't their job, I suppose.

I'm sure your right Darell6t, I was only trying to be humorous - and failed again!

Not to worry there is more than enough for me to look forward to when visiting DC - can't wait.

Yes, there is plenty to keep a visitor busy without a tour of the White House.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Statement from President Joe   Biden on House Passage of the National Security   Package

Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer history’s call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure.   This package will deliver critical support to Israel and Ukraine; provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and other locations impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world; and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia. I want to thank Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in the House who voted to put our national security first. I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs.

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White House visitor logs contradict Biden spokesman's vow to ban DC official who praised notorious antisemite

FIRST ON FOX: A Washington, D.C., official has visited the White House twice since a spokesperson for President Biden said she wouldn't be invited back after she praised noted antisemite Louis Farrakhan, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Cora Masters Barry, who was appointed CEO of the city's Recreation Wish List Committee, delivered remarks in mid-2022 praising Farrakhan as a "friend" and "member of the family," adding, "I love you more than words will ever say." 

Shortly after her comments, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates condemned Farrakhan and said Barry would not ever be invited back to the White House.

FETTERMAN REJECTS HARRIS SUGGESTION THAT ISRAEL COULD FACE CONSEQUENCES FOR RAFAH INVASION: 'HARD DISAGREE'

"The president has unequivocally condemned Louis Farrakhan and the hate he represents for decades and co-sponsored bipartisan legislation doing so," Bates told Fox News Digital . "He also denounces any praise of Louis Farrakhan or his repugnant, antisemitic values, including in this case."

However, according to a Fox News Digital review of visitor logs, Barry returned to the White House in June 2023 and again in December 2023.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The first visit, on June 13, 2023, appears to have been for a Juneteenth concert on the White House South Lawn, where Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both delivered remarks. The purpose of her second visit, on Dec. 14, 2023, remains unclear, though it appears she attended an evening reception alongside hundreds of other invitees.

The White House and Barry didn't respond to requests for comment.

ISRAEL LAUDS CONGRESS' BLOW TO UN AGENCY WITH ALLEGED HAMAS TIES AS INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE

Washington, D.C.Mayor Muriel Bowser appointed Barry to her current position, saying in 2021 that she was "grateful for women" like Barry. Bowser notably stood by Barry after City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson moved to block her from serving on the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Overall, Barry, who donated $500 each to Biden's presidential campaign and the Biden Victory Fund, according to federal filings, has visited the White House at least six times since Biden took office.

Barry previously received criticism for her comments attacking white women and compared supporters of former President Trump to the Ku Klux Klan. 

Her praise for Farrakhan , who leads the Nation of Islam religious group, was uttered during a private event in October 2022 honoring her late husband, former Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry. 

Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam have been heavily criticized by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which was founded to stop the defamation of Jewish people, and by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The ADL has called Farrakhan "one of the most prominent antisemites," and SPLC has classified the Nation of Islam as a hate group.

The White House has repeatedly reaffirmed that the president has disavowed Farrakhan, though the most recent public example appears to be a Senate floor speech Biden delivered four decades ago, in 1984.

The Nation of Islam didn't respond to a request for comment.

Original article source: White House visitor logs contradict Biden spokesman's vow to ban DC official who praised notorious antisemite