Edward Coristine: Ex-DOGE Staffer Nicknamed ‘Big Balls’ Beaten Up by Thugs in Savage Carjacking Attempt as Trump Threatens Federal Takeover of D.C.

A 19-year-old former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee was left bruised and bloodied after being attacked by a group of 10 minors early Sunday morning while trying to stop a carjacking in Washington, D.C., prompting Trump to threaten a federal takeover of Washington, D.C., and end to violent crime in the city caused by young “thugs.”

Edward Coristine, whose LinkedIn handle earned him the nickname “Big Balls” at DOGE, was with a woman near downtown Washington, D.C., when a group of minors approached their vehicle and allegedly made “a comment about taking the vehicle,” after which he was beaten up by them, according to a Metropolitan Police Department report.

Bruised and Bloodied in DC

“At that point, for her safety, [Coristine] pushed his significant other … into the vehicle and turned to deal with the suspects,” the dramatic report continues, as reported by the New York Post.

“The suspects then began to assault [Coristine],” the former DOGE staffer told police, who arrived at the scene just as the assault was taking place.

Officers patrolling the 1400 block of Swann Street NW — a busy area filled with shops, bars, and restaurants about a mile north of the White House — saw “a group of approximately ten juveniles surrounding the complainants’ vehicle and assaulting [Coristine],” the report mentions.

“The officers immediately exited their vehicle, and the juveniles began fleeing on foot,” police said.

DC police managed to arrest only two of the juvenile suspects, both of whom Coristine later confirmed were involved in the assault.

A 15-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl from Hyattsville, Maryland, were arrested and charged with unarmed carjacking.

According to DC police, Coristine received medical attention at the scene from DC Fire and EMS for injuries he suffered during the attack. The tech-savvy victim also had his iPhone 16, worth $1,000, stolen in the incident.

Trump Furious After Attack

The incident left Trump fuming, with the president posting a photo showing the aftermath of the attack on Coristine, capturing the former DOGE staffer sitting on the ground, bloodied, with his torn shirt barely clinging to him.

In the post, Trump, 79, raged that “crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control,” and repeated his threat of a federal takeover of the district.

Marko Elez, a former coworker of Coristine at DOGE, said in a social media post that he took the photo of his friend shortly after the attack and praised Coristine’s actions as courageous.

“My friend Big Balls … is a hero,” Elez wrote on X. “I took this photo after Edward protected a young woman from an attempted carjacking by 8 thugs near Dupont Circle.”

“Violence like this in the heart of DC is completely unacceptable.”

Former DOGE head Elon Musk also commented on the incident on X, though he did not mention Coristine by name.

According to Fox News, Coristine stepped down from his position at DOGE in June, less than a month after Musk left the agency.