Trump threatens to send National Guard into ‘crime-ridden’ Baltimore; Chicago, NYC on list

Days after deploying the National Guard to Washington DC, Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to send troops into Baltimore, intensifying his law-and-order push against Democratic-led cities ahead of the election.

Trump called Baltimore an “out of control, crime-ridden” city, targeting Maryland Governor Wes Moore and escalating their feud.

Earlier this month, Trump ordered Guard patrols in Washington, which critics described as a federal takeover of the capital’s policing. US media reported Sunday that Guard units there will soon begin carrying firearms. In June, Trump also dispatched nearly 5,000 troops to Los Angeles to quell protests over immigration raids — a move sharply opposed by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Reports now suggest his administration is preparing an unprecedented deployment of troops to Chicago, sparking strong pushback from Democrats.

On Baltimore, Trump posted on Truth Social, “If Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in LA, I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime.”

Moore fired back, inviting Trump to walk the streets of Baltimore with him to counter what he called the president’s “blissful ignorance” and “1980 scare tactics.” On X, the 46-year-old governor added a jab: “Hey Donald, we can get you a golf cart if that makes things easier.”

Trump replied that he would “much prefer that he clean up this Crime disaster before I go there for a ‘walk,’” accusing Moore of a “very bad” crime record.

Moore defended his record, pointing out that Maryland’s homicide rate has dropped by more than 20 percent since he took office. “The last time the homicide rate was this low in Baltimore City, I was not born yet,” he said.

The Pentagon has not confirmed reports of a deployment to Chicago, but Trump told reporters Friday that both Chicago and New York could follow Washington. “We’re going to make our cities very, very safe. I think Chicago will be our next and then we’ll help with New York.”

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson strongly rejected the idea. “Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are trying to paint their party as one of ‘law and order,’” Pritzker wrote on X. “That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Chicago recorded 573 homicides in 2024, an eight percent drop from the year before, according to city police.