Trump Weighs Troop Deployment to Chicago Baltimore
Trump Considers Expanding Troop Deployments to Chicago and Baltimore Amid Crime Concerns
WASHINGTON — The U.S. National Guard may soon play a larger role in President Donald Trump’s efforts to combat urban crime, with officials confirming that troops authorized to carry M17 pistols or M4 rifles could be deployed in new cities.
For the past two weeks, hundreds of unarmed Guard members have been stationed in Washington, D.C., following Trump’s declaration of a “crime emergency” in the capital. Last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved arming some of the personnel. The Guard’s Joint Task Force-DC emphasized in a statement Sunday that force would be used “only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.”
Trump, a Republican, has suggested expanding the crackdown to Chicago and Baltimore, two Democratic-run cities. “If Wes Moore needs help… I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the crime,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday, criticizing Baltimore’s Democratic governor.
Democrats, however, strongly oppose the idea. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Trump lacked authority to deploy troops in Chicago, calling the proposal “an attempt to manufacture a crisis.” He pointed out that crime, including murders, has actually declined in the city over the past year. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also rejected the notion, insisting there was no emergency warranting military involvement.
Baltimore officials echoed a similar position, noting that gun violence and homicides have both dropped significantly this year. The city has recorded 84 homicides so far, its lowest figure in more than five decades, according to the mayor.
Still, U.S. defense officials acknowledged that the Pentagon has conducted preliminary planning on what a deployment to Chicago might look like. One official described the plans as routine preparation in case the president makes a formal request, though senior military leaders have not yet been briefed.
Trump’s legal standing is uncertain. Under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, the president can deploy National Guard units to suppress rebellion, repel invasion, or execute federal law. Trump invoked this authority earlier this year when he sent troops to California during protests, despite opposition from Governor Gavin Newsom. In the case of Chicago, Trump may attempt to argue that the city’s “sanctuary” policies obstruct federal immigration enforcement, but such a move would almost certainly trigger legal battles.
Meanwhile, Trump has continued to portray Washington, D.C., as a city besieged by crime, despite official data showing crime levels have fallen. On Sunday, he claimed—without evidence—that the situation in the capital had already improved thanks to his deployment of troops and federal officers.
For now, the prospect of armed National Guard patrols in Chicago or Baltimore remains uncertain, but the political and legal fight over Trump’s crime strategy is already escalating.
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