Speaking aboard the USS George Washington in Japan, President Trump said he is prepared to deploy “more than the National Guard” to U.S. cities — a law-and-order strategy Republicans see as politically potent heading into the 2026 midterms.
President Trump signaled this week that his administration could escalate beyond National Guard deployments in cities, telling U.S. service members in Japan, “We’re sending in our National Guard, and if we need more than the National Guard, we’ll send more than the National Guard, because we’re going to have safe cities… We’re not going to have people killed in our cities.” He delivered the remarks Oct. 28 aboard the USS George Washington at Yokosuka Naval Base. (nbcchicago.com)
The White House’s campaign has centered on Washington, D.C., where Trump in August asserted emergency authority, took control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed Guard troops — even as federal prosecutors reported the city’s 2024 violent crime level was the lowest in more than 30 years. (washingtonpost.com)
Officials have moved or attempted to move forces into other cities with mixed results. In Los Angeles, thousands of National Guard troops — and, briefly, active-duty Marines at federal sites — were deployed in June before courts curtailed aspects of the operation. In Memphis, the administration announced a Guard deployment in mid‑September. By contrast, federal judges have temporarily blocked Guard deployments in Portland, Oregon, and in the Chicago area while broader legal challenges proceed. (apnews.com)
Trump has linked the push to immigration and cast Republicans as tougher on crime than Democrats. At an August Cabinet meeting, he described crime as a stronger election issue for Republicans than transgender athletes in school sports and possibly even immigration, according to NPR. GOP strategists likewise see potential gains. “Crime is probably the issue that he fares best on, certainly better than handling inflation or trade or even international relations,” said Republican pollster Jon McHenry. (wprl.org)
Public sentiment, however, is nuanced. FBI data show violent crime fell 4.5% nationwide in 2024, while a Gallup survey released Oct. 30 found 49% of Americans believe crime has risen over the past year and 33% say it has declined. Polling on federal troop deployments breaks sharply along party lines: a Reuters/Ipsos poll in August found most Republicans support using troops in D.C., while most Democrats oppose it; an NPR/Ipsos survey similarly found Republicans largely back National Guard deployments in cities and Democrats largely oppose them. (apnews.com)
Supporters and critics frame the stakes differently. Jillian Snider, a retired New York police officer and member of the Council on Criminal Justice, said people prioritize how safe they feel day‑to‑day over statistics: “They just care about how they feel in their communities.” Veteran GOP strategist Alex Conant argued Trump is doing what he promised: “He told his base he was going to get crime in American cities under control. And now… U.S. troops are trying to do exactly that.” Both spoke to NPR. (wprl.org)
Legal fights continue to shape the scope of the crackdown. Judges in Oregon and Illinois have so far kept Guard units from patrolling Portland and the Chicago area, while D.C.’s deployment remains a focal point of the White House’s approach. As the cases advance, the administration says it will act to ensure public safety; opponents warn the moves test constitutional limits on domestic military use. (reuters.com)
