According to The Washington Post, the Pentagon has been planning a military deployment to Chicago, potentially serving as a model for similar actions in other cities, particularly those run by Democrats. Multiple plans are being considered, including the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops. Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to send troops to Baltimore, despite declining crime rates in both cities. Local officials like Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have strongly opposed Trump’s plans, viewing them as an authoritarian overreach and an unconstitutional power grab.
Read More
Amidst escalating plans to militarize more US cities, a leading Democrat accused Donald Trump of manufacturing a crisis to justify sending federalized National Guard troops into Chicago, over the objections of local leaders. The White House has reportedly been working on these plans, while the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois both stated they had not requested federal assistance. Trump has stated that the people of Chicago are “screaming” for assistance, despite statistics showing a decline in serious crime in the city.
Read More
In a significant expansion of its immigration and anti-crime initiatives, the Trump administration is deploying up to 1,700 National Guard troops across 19 states. These troops, largely stationed in Republican-controlled states, will support Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, including tasks like data collection and fingerprinting. The deployments follow a May request from the Department of Homeland Security, with some states already announcing the specific roles of their National Guard personnel, such as administrative and logistical support. This expansion coincides with the president’s threats to deploy military forces to other cities, highlighting the increasing use of federal resources in domestic law enforcement.
Read More
President Trump has indicated that Chicago is the next city targeted for federal intervention, following the current occupation in Washington, D.C., drawing strong opposition from local officials. Trump’s declaration of a public safety emergency and the deployment of federal forces, despite decreasing crime rates in several cities, has been met with accusations of authoritarian overreach. While Trump faces legal obstacles to controlling local police departments in Chicago, officials like Mayor Johnson and Governor Pritzker have vehemently rejected the idea, citing existing crime reduction efforts and community violence intervention programs. Elected officials across Illinois have unified in their condemnation of Trump’s threats, highlighting concerns about the impact on vulnerable communities and the prioritization of political spectacle over effective public safety measures.
Read More
A CNN review of FBI data reveals that several cities within states deploying National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., at the behest of the Trump administration, had higher rates of violent crime and homicide than the District of Columbia itself. Governors from Ohio, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia are sending troops to assist with a crackdown on crime, despite the fact that cities within those states, such as Cleveland, Memphis, and Jackson, Mississippi, face more significant crime challenges. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and criminal justice advocates, have condemned the federal takeover of D.C., questioning the priorities of states sending assistance while grappling with their own public safety issues. These critics suggest that political motivations, rather than genuine concerns for public safety, are driving these deployments.
Read More
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed National Guard members in Washington, D.C., to carry their service weapons while assisting with the President’s crime crackdown. This new guidance marks a shift from the Pentagon’s prior stance on arming the National Guard. More than 1,900 troops from various states have been deployed to support the D.C. National Guard in this mission. The administration has been highlighting the increased presence of National Guard members and federal law enforcement in the capital.
Read More
President Trump announced plans to patrol Washington, D.C. streets on Thursday night with the Metropolitan Police Department and National Guard troops, aiming to combat crime and assert control over the city. The White House is still finalizing the details of the evening, which follows Trump’s recent actions to federalize the city’s police and deploy National Guard forces, despite declining violent crime statistics. Amidst these developments, Attorney General Pam Bondi reported hundreds of arrests, a significant portion of which involved immigrants. A recent poll indicates substantial opposition from D.C. residents to Trump’s intervention, reflecting public skepticism about the effectiveness of his approach.
Read More
During a photo opportunity at Union Station, JD Vance and other officials were met with boos and chants from protesters. While handing out food to National Guard troops deployed by Donald Trump, Vance stated their efforts brought “law and order” to the area, as demonstrators protested outside, chanting phrases like “Free DC!”. Vance addressed the protestors by saying they were out protesting policies that keep people safe. The deployment of troops, claiming to address rising crime, comes despite a falling crime rate and the federalization of the city’s Metropolitan police department.
Read More
The article highlights the recent deployment of National Guard troops from several states, primarily in the Deep South, to Washington, D.C., ostensibly to address rising crime rates, echoing a narrative promoted by Donald Trump. However, a comparison of crime statistics reveals a striking irony: the murder rates in the capitals and major cities of the states sending troops to D.C. are significantly higher than those in the nation’s capital. This raises the question of why these states are not focusing their resources on their own cities. The piece suggests a counter-strategy: Democratic governors from states with lower crime rates should offer their National Guards to assist in cities experiencing higher crime rates in the states deploying troops to D.C.
Read More
In a significant escalation of federal intervention, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio are deploying hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington D.C. The Republican governors of these states are sending personnel at the request of the Trump administration to assist with law enforcement and bolster the federal crackdown on crime and homelessness. These actions follow President Trump’s executive order federalizing local police forces and activating D.C. National Guard members, sparking protests in the city. The added troops are intended to provide support in patrolling landmarks and assisting with tasks such as crowd control.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker