Politics, public safety collide as feds investigate MARTA security

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Only hours after President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate for Georgia governor called for placing state troopers on MARTA trains, the federal government launched an inquiry into the transit system’s security and safety protocols.

On Thursday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy told the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to open the investigation after two people were recently stabbed – one fatally – at different MARTA stations in the span of only a few hours.

On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is facing billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson in a June 16, 2026, runoff for the GOP governor’s nomination, advocated for placing Georgia state troopers on MARTA trains during the World Cup if necessary “to ensure safety.”

Jones’ comments came just days before early voting begins Monday, June 8, 2026, in the state’s nationally watched runoffs.

Immediately after Thursday’s announcement, both the Jones and Jackson campaigns issued statements of support for the investigation.

“We’re grateful for our federal partners in the Trump Administration for taking these heinous crimes seriously and for partnering with us in our ongoing efforts to keep Georgians safe,” Jones said.

Jackson also posted an item on X, saying, “President Trump is serious about keeping Georgians and Americans safe – and unlike Keisha Lance Bottoms, I’ll work with his administration to do so.”

Either Jackson or Jones will face Bottoms in the November general election that will choose Georgia’s 83rd governor.

In this Sunday’s On the Record With Atlanta News First airing at 11 am, Jones said MARTA safety starts with leaders taking crime seriously by supporting law enforcement and ensuring prosecutors are willing to pursue cases.

“There’s just been a breakdown of communication between MARTA police and Atlanta police about how many people they need at various stations,” Jones said. “With the tension of the world going to be on Atlanta and Georgia, I think [this incident] is a wake-up call that we need more law enforcement presence at areas like MARTA stations.”

A spokesperson for Derek Dooley – who is facing U.S. Rep. Mike Collins in Georgia’s GOP Senate runoff – said the first-time political candidate “fully supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s investigation to hold MARTA accountable and keep Georgians safe.

“What happened last weekend was a preventable tragedy, and we are praying for the victims,” the spokesperson said.

Progressives and Democrats, however, criticized the federal investigation.

“Georgians deserve public transit that is safe, affordable, and efficient,” said former Georgia state senator Nabilah Parkes, who is in a runoff with state Sen. Josh McLaurin for the Democratic lieutenant governor’s nomination. “I’m deeply concerned about violence on MARTA. That said, I don’t trust Sean Duffy or the Trump Administration as far as I can throw them.”

Play Fair ATL, a progressive social and economic justice coalition of more than 40 organizations, called the investigation “a desperate White House intent on using the tragic loss of our community member for cheap political points.

“MARTA has 12,000 security cameras and almost 300 dedicated police officers for a system whose growth has been limited by racism compared to other major cities,” said the organization’s director, Michael Collins. “Serious incidents on transit should be taken seriously, but they should not be used as a justification for policies that criminalize poverty, homelessness, mental illness, or low-level offenses.”

MARTA said Thursday it would have no problem with federal officials looking into its operations.

“We welcome the opportunity to share with federal officials the hard work that the MARTA team puts in every day as well as the significant investments in personnel, technology, and operational measures that MARTA has in place to support safety and security across our entire system,” the transit agency said.

The FTA said MARTA’s crime rate is nearly twice the national average, but MARTA officials say crime has been down. According to MARTA police, crime decreased by 26% between 2024 and 2025.

Since President Trump took office for the second time, Duffy has launched investigations into several cities’ transit agencies, including Chicago’s CTA, Washington, D.C.’s WMATA and New York City’s MTA.

MARTA now has 15 days to submit certain information to the FTA, including its 2026 and 2027 fiscal year budgets and data on crime suppression and fare evasion enforcement.

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