Camilla Jessen
Donald Trump is going all in on his crackdown on crime in major cities.
President Donald Trump is expanding his controversial approach to crime, suggesting that the U.S. military and National Guard could play a more direct role in certain cities he labeled as unsafe.
Trump Meets Military Leaders
On Tuesday, Trump met with top generals and admirals at Quantico, Virginia, emphasizing that defending the homeland is the military’s “most important priority”, according to The Hill.
During the meeting, the president suggested that military leaders could assist in federal interventions to combat crime in major urban centers.
Targeted Cities
Trump specifically named Chicago and New York City, calling them “very unsafe places”.
“We’re going to straighten them out one by one,” Trump said. “And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war, too. It’s a war from within.”
Training Grounds
He also proposed using these cities as training grounds for the military and National Guard:
“I told [Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth], we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military — National Guard, but our military, because we’re going into Chicago very soon. That’s a big city with an incompetent governor,” Trump added.
Previous Deployments
Trump’s administration has previously deployed National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee, for crime-related interventions.
Earlier this week, he announced that troops would also be sent to Portland, Oregon.
Controversial Reaction
Democratic politicians have criticized the plan, comparing the use of military forces in domestic cities to authoritarian tactics.
Trump defended the approach, framing it as a response to internal threats:
“America is under invasion from within. We’re under invasion from within. No different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways because they don’t wear uniforms.”
National Security Framing
The president has consistently framed domestic crime as a threat to national security, calling for military involvement in major urban areas to restore order and protect citizens.
Implications for Civil-Military Relations
Experts warn that increased military deployment in U.S. cities could raise concerns over the balance between law enforcement and civil liberties, particularly if National Guard and active-duty personnel are used in routine policing.
This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, which may have used AI in the preparation
