PRESIDENT Donald Trump has set his sights on five major US cities after launching a crime crackdown in Washington DC on Monday.
In the early hours of what the president has dubbed liberation day, hundreds of National Guard troops were deployed to the nation’s capital, leading to dozens of arrests.
Trump made a firm declaration, stating his intent to “reclaim the capital” from the grips of crime and homelessness by taking control of the district’s police force.
“I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor and worse,” he told reporters.
The president said the city had been “taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals” as well as “drugged out maniacs and homeless people.”
He also indicated that the capital is just the beginning of his plan to shape up metropolitan areas.
In his address, Trump named Los Angeles, Baltimore, Oakland, New York, and Chicago as other cities that are in a “very bad” place.
“We’re not going to lose our cities over this. This will go further,: he said.
“We’re starting very strongly with DC, and we’re going to clean it up real quick.”
Furious Democrat leaders have fumed over the president’s threats and said they would stop at nothing to hinder the federal assistance.
Many cited statistics that showed crime had been falling nationwide in recent years.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said, “When it comes to public safety in Baltimore, he should turn off the right-wing propaganda and look at the facts.
“Baltimore is the safest it’s been in over 50 years. Homicides are down 28% this year alive, reaching the lowest level of any year on record.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned the president, asserting, “We should be truthful with the public; both you and I are aware that you lack the authority to seize control of Chicago.”
Other Democrat leaders merely skirted around the crimes affecting everyday Americans and accused Trump of imposing the measures to distract voters.
Senate House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, in an X post, remarked, “After all the Republican rhetoric about respecting local rights, where are they standing now?”
The New York politician said that Trump merely wants to shift attention from the controversies surrounding his administration.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, meanwhile, wrote, “the crime scene in DC most damaging to everyday Americans is at 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.”
Trump Brings National Guard to DC
How Does Federalizing a City’s Police Force Work?
- The president can take control if local order breaks down or with city approval.
- In DC, federal law allows Congress and the president to oversee police under certain rules.
- A federal official can be put in charge of the local police temporarily.
How Do Federal Police and the National Guard Work Together?
- Federal agents (FBI, DEA, Secret Service) can assist or lead law enforcement efforts.
- The National Guard can be called in by the president to support or restore order.
- When federalized, the Guard works under federal command but usually does not handle regular policing.
- All forces must coordinate closely to avoid overlap and work effectively.
PAST CRACKDOWNS
The president and the secretary of defense have the power to deploy federal troops anywhere in the US under Title 32, Time reported.
Trump previously sent additional manpower to cities in 2020 to help maintain protests over the killing of George Floyd.
Earlier this year, Trump sent 5,000 National Guard members and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles in response to demonstrations against his aggressive illegal immigration policies.
California Governor Gavin Newsom openly criticized the action, alleging constitutional violations, and pursued legal action on behalf of his state.
Speaking to reporters at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, Trump voiced his intention to extend the 30-day limit on the federalized police forces with Congressional approval.
“We think the Democrats will not do anything to stop crime, but we think the Republicans will do it almost unanimously,” he said.
The president said that the bill would focus on Washington DC, but could be an example that he would apply to other cities.
SAFETY FEARS
Despite Democrat leaders slamming Trump’s initiatives, DC locals have spoken up about experiencing disturbing brushes with crime as they went about their daily lives.
Anti-Trump MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough said that journalists who were critical of the move had privately shared concerns about violence in the capital.
“I actually heard from a reporter when this happened, going, ‘Well, you know, if he doesn’t overreach, this could actually be a good thing for quality of life,'” he said live on Morning Joe.
“‘Because in DC right now, I had this happen to my family and I had that,’ and they go down the list. And then I saw him tweet something completely different.”
Scarborough, who has lived in Washington DC for three decades, said that crime has improved in recent years, but felt there’s still work to do.
“It’s certainly not as safe as the nation’s capital should be,” he said.
Scarborough’s comments came after ABC News anchor Kyra Phillips shockingly backed Trump’s plan as she opened up about facing crime in DC firsthand.
She said that someone who appeared to be homeless attacked her one day while she walked two blocks to her office.
“We can talk about the numbers going down, but crime is happening every single day because we’re all experiencing it firsthand, working and living down here,” she said live on air.
CRIME STATISTICS
Crime across the US was down 5% at the time of Trump’s announcement, according to Axios.
In Oakland, all violent crimes have dropped 19% since 2023. Homicides are down 32% and robberies are down 24%.
Crime in Chicago has fallen 15% since 2023, despite cash bail being eliminated across the state.
Murder in the city is down 37% and robbery fell 36%.
In Baltimore, violent crimes have decreased 17% in the last year, and homicides fell 27%, according to the Baltimore City Police Department.
Meanwhile, in New York City, crime dropped 3% in 2024. There was a 27% decrease in robbery and a 4% fall in murder, the police department reported.
Earlier this year, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said that crime declined last year.
Homicides fell 14% and shooting victims decreased by 19%, according to the officials.
