Democrats voice disapproval towards Trump's military strategies
President Donald Trump has announced his intention to expand his approach to combating crime, with Chicago and Baltimore now under consideration for potential National Guard deployment.
In a move reminiscent of his actions earlier this year, Trump has cited violent crimes in these cities as justification for this move. However, it's important to note that Trump does not hold the same level of authority in Chicago and Baltimore as he does in the federal district of Washington.
The potential deployment of National Guard troops has been planned by the Pentagon, but both the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, and Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leader of the Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, have denied Trump the legal authority for such a deployment.
JB Pritzker has stated that there is no emergency that would justify such a deployment, while Hakeem Jeffries has accused Trump of trying to manufacture a crisis.
The cities of Chicago and Baltimore, like Washington D.C., are Democrat-led. Interestingly, crime rates are decreasing in all three cities. In Chicago, the number of shootings has decreased by almost 40 percent, and the city's murder rate has dropped by more than 30 percent last year, according to Mayor Brandon Johnson's reports. Similarly, crime rates are also decreasing in Baltimore.
Trump's potential deployment could be based on a federal law (Section 12406), which allows the President to call upon the National Guard or any other armed forces of the United States to enforce the laws of the U.S. or to suppress insurrection.
However, it's worth noting that Trump previously deployed National Guard troops against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom at the beginning of the year. This move was met with opposition, particularly in Washington D.C., where Trump declared a state of emergency, placed the Metropolitan Police under federal control, and mobilized nearly 1,000 National Guard troops.
In a recent gesture, Trump distributed burgers and pizza to National Guard troops in Chicago and Baltimore, fuelling speculation about his plans for these cities.
As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how this potential deployment will unfold and whether it will receive the necessary legal authorisation.
