WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Sunday hinted at the possibility of increasing military presence in more Democratic-led cities. This remark came after Maryland’s governor offered to accompany him on a tour of Baltimore. Instead, Trump suggested he might “send in the ‘troops.'”
Recently, Trump mentioned considering cities like Chicago and New York for a similar military intervention, akin to the one in the nation’s capital, where a substantial number of National Guard and federal law enforcement officers currently maintain order.
Trump’s comments about Baltimore arose from a dispute with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, who criticized Trump’s heavy-handed use of federal resources to tackle issues like crime and homelessness in Washington. Moore had invited Trump last week to visit Maryland for discussions on public safety.
On Sunday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Moore’s approach was “nasty and provocative,” and suggested he might replicate the National Guard deployment seen in Los Angeles, which went ahead despite objections from California’s Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom.
“Wes Moore’s track record on crime isn’t strong unless he manipulates the data like other ‘Blue States,'” Trump remarked, utilizing a derogatory nickname for Newsom. “However, if Moore requires assistance like Newsom did in L.A., I will deploy ‘troops’ to swiftly tackle the crime, as is happening in nearby DC.”
Moore commented that he extended the invitation to Trump to highlight the latter’s “blissful ignorance” regarding Baltimore’s improving crime rates. Following a pandemic-related surge aligning with national trends, Baltimore’s violent crime statistics have shown a decline. Last year, the city recorded 200 homicides, marking a 24% decrease since the previous year and a 42% reduction since 2021, as per city records. Between 2023 and 2024, overall violent crimes dropped by nearly 8%, and property crimes saw a 20% decrease.
“The president is spending all of his time talking about me,” Moore said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “I’m spending my time talking about the people I serve.”
Trump is “spouting off a bunch of lies about public safety in Maryland,” Moore said in a fundraising email.
In Washington, where Trump is surging National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers, a patchwork of protests popped up throughout the city over the weekend, while some normally bustling corners were noticeably quiet. In some of the most populated areas, residents walked by small groups of national guardsmen, often talking among themselves. Videos of arrests and detainments circulated on social media.
Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely his next targets, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states. The Washington Post reported Saturday that the Pentagon has spent weeks preparing for an operation in Chicago that would include National Guard troops and potentially active duty forces.
Asked about the Post report, the White House pointed to Trump’s earlier comments discussing his desire to expand his use of military forces to target local crime.
“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”
Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities – run by Democrats, with Black mayors and majority-minority populations – as dangerous and filthy. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is Black, as is Moore. The District of Columbia and New York also have Black mayors.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking during a religious event Sunday at Howard University in Washington, said the Guard’s presence in the nation’s capital was not about crime: “This is about profiling us.”
“This is laced with bigotry and racism,” he later elaborated to reporters. “Not one white mayor has been designated. And I think this is a civil rights issue, a race issue, and an issue of D.C. statehood.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said there is no emergency warranting the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago.
“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he’s causing families,” Pritzker wrote on X. “We’ll continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect Illinoisans.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city doesn’t need “a military occupation” and would sue to block one. He said there has been no communication from the White House about a possible military deployment.
“We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant,” Johnson said Sunday on MSNBC. “I can tell you this, the city of Chicago has a long history of standing up against tyranny, resisting those who wish to undermine the interests of working people.”
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