One policy of President Trump that has captured the current attention of the public, elected officials, and the national media is his previous use of and future plans to use the military to address crime in select large American cities.
In June, Trump federalized 4,000 California National Guard troops and mobilized 700 U.S. Marines in response to violent protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles.
In August, Trump mobilized the Washington DC National Guard (which as President he controls) and also took over the Washington DC police department to address crime in the District of Columbia.
There are ongoing and unresolved disagreements on the severity of the problem in select large cities, the need for and appropriateness of using the military for domestic law enforcement purposes, and the authority of the Trump administration to federalize state National Guard troops without informing or securing consent from governors.
Currently, the most outspoken elected officials who oppose to Trump’s actions are Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
Opposition from large city mayors is not universal. Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser initially opposed Trump’s decision to use the military in our nation’s capital. She has since touted the positive impact it has had on reducing crime, especially on the numbers of murders and car jackings, but still expresses unresolved concerns about presidential authority over DC affairs.
One irrefutable fact on this matter is that Trump’s actions, while generating opposition are not unprecedented.
In 1957, President Eisenhower dismissed opposition of the governor of Arkansas and issued an executive order federalizing the Arkansas National Guard. Eisenhower also sent 1,000 U.S. Army soldiers to Arkansas to maintain law and order as the formerly white students-only Little Rock Central High School was integrated.
In 1962, President Kennedy dismissed the opposition of the governor of Mississippi and issued an executive order federalizing the Mississippi National Guard to join federal troops and U.S Marshals to help address violence resulting from admitting a Black student at the formerly all-white University of Mississippi.
In 1965, President Johnson refused a demand from the governor of Alabama to mobilize federal troops to defend a civil rights protest march. Instead, Johnson federalized the Alabama National Guard for that mission.
In 1967, President Johnson ordered The U.S. Army’s 82nd Division and 101st Airborne Division to Detroit to address what were until then the bloodiest urban riots in the country.
In their official announcement about these orders, White House officials said Johnson’s actions occurred after he concluded “a condition of domestic violence and disorder” existed.
In a televised address, Johnson acknowledged that normally law enforcement is the responsibility of local officials and the governors of the respective states. He also acknowledged the federal government should not intervene, except in the most extraordinary circumstances. Johnson explained his view on most extraordinary circumstances — “The fact of the matter, however, is that law and order have broken down in Detroit. The Federal Government in the circumstances here presented had no alternative but to respond. We will not tolerate lawlessness. We will not endure violence. It will not be tolerated. This Nation will do whatever it is necessary to do to suppress and to punish those who engage in it.”
In 1968, President Johnson ordered regular Army and federalized National Guard troops into Washington DC to address rioting and looting the nation’s capital following the murder of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. His order included airlifting a brigade of the U.S. Army’s 82d Airborne Division (2,500 soldiers) from North Carolina to standby at Andrews Air Force Base
Despite a contentious war of words between President Trump, Governor Moore, and Mayor Scott, there may be significant changes in how crime is addressed in Baltimore.
Moore and Scott have launched a “renewed collaboration” between the Baltimore City Police Department and the Maryland State Police.
Moore has also suggested he is willing to accept help from the federal government to address crime in Baltimore, but only with federal law enforcement personnel such as FBI agents and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
These are shrewd and timely moves on Moore’s part.
The results of AP NORC survey conducted late last month reported that two-thirds of the public responding to their survey thinks crime in the United States is a major problem and even more, 81%, think it’s a major concern in cities.
Moore has acknowledged without being as dismissive as he was previously that crime in Baltimore is a problem that needs to be addressed.
Ultimately, any success on reducing crime in Baltimore could help Moore’s re-election campaign to advance a narrative he is serious about crime in Baltimore, and he is willing to work with a Republican administration in Washington on addressing it.
David Reel is a consultant who provides counsel and services on public affairs and public relations. He is also a consultant who provides counsel and services on not-for-profit organizational governance, leadership, and management matters. He lives in Easton.
Ron Jordan says
David, you fail to report that all the cities the “clown Prez” in DC is targeting are being run by “black mayors.Without mentioning that one salient fact and the “clown Prez” doesn’t acknowledge nor have you in your short opinion piece isn’t addressing the full problem with this administration and their oppressing need to bring to heel black and brown folks irregardless of the citizen status.
Timothy Sullivan says
This is a tremendous article of past Presidents using National Guards and Army personal to calm uprising in the United States. All of these Presidents were Democrats. They were not soft on crime as the current Democratic Governors and Mayors are. This current President wants to protect the citizens and prosecute the criminals, not like the Governors and Mayors of Democratic states. My question to them is this: What if a family member was attacked by a criminal, what would you do then?
James Nick says
Don’t the magas ever catch on? Don’t they ever see that they are being manipulated by a carnival barker that routinely turns their emotions on and off like a spigot? “trump is always right about everything”. trump is never wrong or guilty. He never makes a mistake. He walks on water. Don’t they ever get tired of the phony hyperbole, the bombast, the lies… the kayfabe?
His Holiness (https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1918502592335724809) is not interested in crime or crime reduction. Crime has been with us since Cain killed Abel. And it will still be here long after trump’s urban occupation is over.
Everyone concedes the point that there are cities, both blue and red, that have high crime rates. And everyone recognizes that if you could put a cop on every corner in every city, our crime rate would dramatically decrease.
So if trump really cared about bringing about enduring lower crime rates, he would fund and expedite the hiring and training of more police throughout the country. But no! That’s not nearly grandiose enough. It wouldn’t even cause a ripple in the 24-hour news cycle or get enough clicks on social media. It’s not enough red meat for the base. It won’t keep them on the razor’s edge of fear and despair. That’s what’s going on here.
Deirdre LaMotte says
From Heather Cox Richardson, September 8, 2025
MAGA loyalist Steve Bannon recently said: “They’re petrified over at MSNBC and CNN that, hey, since we’re taking control of the cities, there’s going to be ICE officers near polling places. You’re damn right.” Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker, speaking of Trump’s threatened military incursion into Chicago, observed: “This is not about fighting crime. This is about the President and his complicit lackey, Stephen Miller, searching for ways to lay the groundwork to circumvent our democracy, militarize our cities, and end elections.”
“Crime” is the excuse being used to send in troops.
No hyperbole, the objection is to control polling places and ultimately not have elections.
Let that sink in because it is happening in real time now.
Ron Jordan says
Show us all what criminals this “so called President” is prosecuting. Not one Democratic Governor or Mayor is soft on crime as you stated, which in my opinion is another MAGA talking point and more often than not, not a solution but another accusation about something that is not factful only a talking point you have continued to promote without facts or statistics.