Latest news with #USNationalGuard
DW
4 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Could Trump repeat his DC intervention in other cities? – DW – 08/15/2025
US President Donald Trump has sent the National Guard into Washington, D.C. and may well have other major cities in his sights. The arrival of 800 US National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. at the direction of President Donald Trump has been framed as an "authoritarian push" by the mayor of the nation's capital. Trump has also named other cities, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Baltimore, as possible future targets if they don't address their own local crime issues. But it's not clear that Trump could replicate his capital intervention across state lines, and a court case in California, where he also deployed Guardsmen and Marines in June, could narrow his scope further. Trump cast his decision to involve the National Guard in Washington as a crime crackdown, calling it "Liberation Day" and claiming the city needed rescuing from "crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor." The police will now sit under the supervision of US Attorney General Pam Bondi who has appointed Drug Enforcement Administration chief Terry Cole as "emergency police commissioner." But federal data contradicts Trump's claim, with statistics showing that DC's violent crime is at a 30-year low. Critics say that based on this, there is no emergency that requires a military presence in the capital. "The numbers simply do not justify this measure," said Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. So if crime has been going down in Washington, why the intervention? "It does look, if you look at the data, [like] crime is going down," said Laura Dickinson, a law professor at George Washington University, US. "City officials have not asked for help [from the president] so it really does seem at best questionable." "This is really problematic and contrary to our tradition in the United States, where we've been very cautious about using the military to do law enforcement functions," Dickinson added. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In part, because he can. Washington, D.C. (which stands for District of Columbia) is not part of any US state and largely falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Under the 1973 Home Rule Act, presidents can take control of the DC police during emergencies for 30 days without congressional approval. And because it's a federal enclave, the president also commands the city's National Guard. Some US commentators have observed the move could be a political attempt to distract from ongoing controversy related to the Epstein Files and the release of jobs figures that showed a rise in unemployment. Trump's popularity in his flagship policy areas — in particular immigration — has also recently declined. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While Trump and his allies have pointed to city crime as justification for the move, his opponents inside and outside of congress say the action is designed to exact control over cities that do not support Congressional Black Caucus, which currently has no Republican members, also said the cities named by Trump as potential targets all have the common thread of being led by Black mayors, labelling the move a "blatantly racist and despicable power grab." The presidency has fewer powers outside of the nation's capital. The governors of the 50 US states preside over the National Guard within their own borders. It's a key distinction that William Banks, a law professor at Syracuse University, US, said would make it far more difficult for Trump to follow through on threats to extend interventions beyond the federal enclave of Washington, D.C. "It would be unwise, I think to generalize this example and apply it to other places in the United States," Banks told DW. "He can't go to Chicago or Philadelphia or New York City or Los Angeles and do the same thing. He simply doesn't have the authority." But what about in June, when he deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles? Banks said there are provisions for limited interventions to protect federal property and personnel, but Trump "was walking on very thin ice." "His argument was that they were needed to ensure that the protesters didn't destroy federal property or harm ICE and other immigration personnel who are on the ground there doing their job." While they can protect federal assets, military personnel are banned from being actively used in domestic policing by the Posse Comitatus Act. In California, a three-day trial investigating whether the deployment of the National Guard was in breach of this law, and potentially unconstitutional, has recently wrapped up, with a decision pending. While the decision would only apply in California, it could give clarity on the outcome of future litigation if the president took a similar course in other states. "Obviously, it would be quite relevant how the court decides," Dickinson told DW. But Dickinson believes there's a wider question confronting the armed forces — using them to patrol American cities could impact how these institutions are perceived by the public. "It could damage the credibility and respect that Americans have for the military and the National Guard," Dickinson said. "These are some of the few institutions in the United States that enjoy very broad bipartisan support." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Federal command of the DC police ends after 30 days, unless the Republican-controlled Congress approves an extension. The National Guard can remain active indefinitely. Despite alarms being raised by Trump's opponents, who are calling the move an authoritarian flex, Banks expects a return to the status quo is more likely, particularly when it comes to threats to other states. He said the United States' foundational history overthrowing the British military, and the norm that law enforcement should be maintained by civilian police, are crucial in understanding what Americans will accept in their communities. "Our situation is somewhat unique in the United States in not having any expectation of military involvement in law enforcement," Banks told DW. "We don't like military uniforms on our streets, we don't like men and women with guns patrolling our streets, it just rubs against the grain. "Posse Comitatus codifies that principle, but I think the norm is even more important and more fundamental."
Euronews
4 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Trump deploys hundreds of US National Guard troops in Washington
Around 800 US National Guard troops have begun operations in the capital Washington to aid law enforcement personnel, officials said Thursday. The mobilisation of the troops follows an order by US President Donald Trump for a crackdown on crime in the US capital. According to defence officials, National Guard members on patrol are not carrying weapons as of now, and they will not have any guns in their vehicles. Critics fear the deployment is meant as a scare tactic aimed against the homeless and other vulnerable groups, as well as discouraging dissent, after a similar action Trump took during protests in Los Angeles in June, prompting widespread backlash. Homeless encampments were cleared across town near the National Mall since their deployment. David Beatty, who was living in a tent not far from the Washington landmark, says the actions of the administration are 'anti-Christian'. 'I remember the passage of, 'as you have done unto the least of these, you have been unto me.' And the idea that he's targeting us and persecuting us feels wrong to me,' Beatty said. 'This is disgraceful,' Nicole, another Washington resident who said she was the daughter of two US Marines, said. "I come here every day, and I never feel unsafe. And putting women of colour? Making these people have these as their work orders? It's disgusting. And for what," she asked outside of Union Station as National Guard members patrolled the area. On Monday, Trump announced the deployment of the US National Guard and the federal takeover of the city's police force. Republican leaders have accused the Democrats running the US capital of allowing it to be overtaken by crime. But according to Washington police records, violent crime significantly decreased between 2023 and 2024. Washington resident Marc Bernstein said that he had concerns over the crime rate in the US capital. However, he questioned the way the administration was handling it. 'This sort of display is not designed to stop gun violence. It's not designed to stop the drug trade. It's designed to intimidate people,' Bernstein said.
DW
5 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Trump's DC intervention may be less likely in other cities – DW – 08/14/2025
US President Donald Trump has sent the National Guard into Washington, may well have other major cities in his sights. But could he replicate his capital intervention elsewhere? The arrival of 800 US National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. at the direction of President Donald Trump has been framed as an "authoritarian push" by the mayor of the nation's capital. Trump cast his decision to involve the National Guard in Washington and put the city's police force under the supervision of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Drug Enforcement Administration chief Terry Cole as a crime crackdown. He's calling the move a "Liberation Day" and claiming the city needed rescuing from "crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor." He's also named other cities, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Baltimore, as possible future targets if they don't address their own local crime issues. But federal data contradicts that claim, with statistics showing that violent crime is at a 30-year low. Critics say that based on this, there is no emergency that requires a military presence in the capital. "The numbers simply do not justify this measure," said Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. So if crime has been going down in Washington, why the intervention? "It does look, if you look at the data, [like] crime is going down," said Laura Dickinson, a law professor at George Washington University, US. "City officials have not asked for help [from the president] so it really does seem at best questionable." "This is really problematic and contrary to our tradition in the United States, where we've been very cautious about using the military to do law enforcement functions," Dickinson added. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In part, because he can. Washington, D.C. (which stands for District of Columbia) is not part of any US state and largely falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Under the 1973 Home Rule Act, presidents can take control of the DC police during emergencies for 30 days without congressional approval. And because it's a federal enclave, the president also commands the city's National Guard. Some US commentators have observed the move could be a political attempt to distract from ongoing controversy related to the Epstein Files and the release of jobs figures that showed a rise in unemployment. Trump's popularity in his flagship policy areas — in particular immigration — has also recently declined. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While Trump and his allies have pointed to city crime as justification for the move, his opponents inside and outside of congress say the action is designed to exact control over cities that do not support Congressional Black Caucus, which currently has no Republican members, also said the cities named by Trump as potential targets all have the common thread of being led by Black mayors, labelling the move a "blatantly racist and despicable power grab." The presidency has fewer powers outside of the nation's capital. The governors of the 50 US states preside over the National Guard within their own borders. It's a key distinction that William Banks, a law professor at Syracuse University, US, said would make it far more difficult for Trump to follow through on threats to extend interventions beyond the federal enclave of Washington, D.C. "It would be unwise, I think to generalize this example and apply it to other places in the United States," Banks told DW. "He can't go to Chicago or Philadelphia or New York City or Los Angeles and do the same thing. He simply doesn't have the authority." But what about in June, when he deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles? Banks said there are provisions for limited interventions to protect federal property and personnel, but Trump "was walking on very thin ice." "His argument was that they were needed to ensure that the protesters didn't destroy federal property or harm ICE and other immigration personnel who are on the ground there doing their job." While they can protect federal assets, military personnel are banned from being actively used in domestic policing by the Posse Comitatus Act. In California, a three-day trial investigating whether the deployment of the National Guard was in breach of this law, and potentially unconstitutional, has recently wrapped up, with a decision pending. Dickinson said the use of military forces by the federal government in American cities could also impact how these institutions are perceived by the public. "It could damage the credibility and respect that Americans have for the military and the National Guard," Dickinson told DW. "These are some of the few institutions in the United States that enjoy very broad bipartisan support." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Federal command of the DC police ends after 30 days, unless the Republican-controlled Congress approves an extension. The National Guard can remain active indefinitely. Despite alarms being raised by Trump's opponents, who are calling the move an authoritarian flex, Banks expects a return to the status quo is more likely, particularly when it comes to threats to other states. He said the United States' foundational history overthrowing the British military, and the norm that law enforcement should be maintained by civilian police, are crucial in understanding what Americans will accept in their communities. "Our situation is somewhat unique in the United States in not having any expectation of military involvement in law enforcement," Banks told DW. "We don't like military uniforms on our streets, we don't like men and women with guns patrolling our streets, it just rubs against the grain. "Posse Comitatus codifies that principle, but I think the norm is even more important and more fundamental."
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
After Washington DC, Trump targets these five cities to launch militarized crime crackdown. Is yours on the list?
These cities on Trump's radar? Live Events Democrats respond (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Acting on US President Donald Trump's directive, US National Guard troops appeared on the streets of Washington DC Thursday. The president has deployed the troops to the city and took control of its police force as he argued violent crime was out of control. Officials told BBC that 800 National Guard troops are expected to be deployed, as well as 500 federal law enforcement will he stop there, or will other cities be next? Trump previously ordered National Guard troops to begin protection duties in Los Angeles and the surrounding area following unrest in January over ICE deportation raids."We're not going to lose our cities over this. This will go further. We're starting very strongly with D.C., and we're going to clean it up real quick," Trump had told reporters during the White House presser this Monday. "We're going to take back our capital. And then we'll look at other cities also. But other cities are studying what we're doing."He reportedly has set his sights on five major US cities after launching a crime crackdown in Washington DC, according to The Sun. The report says that US cities such as Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City and Baltimore is also on president's a firm announcement, Trump said that he was going to "take back the capital" from crime and homelessness by federalizing the district's police force. The president said the city had been "taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals" as well as "drugged out maniacs and homeless people.""I'm announcing a historic action to rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor and worse," he told reporters. In his address, Trump named Los Angeles, Baltimore, Oakland, New York, and Chicago as other cities that are in a "very bad" place."We're not going to lose our cities over this. This will go further,: he said. "We're starting very strongly with DC, and we're going to clean it up real quick."Angry Democrats have fumed over the president's threats and said they would stop at nothing to hinder the federal assistance. Many cited statistics that showed crime had been falling nationwide in recent Mayor Brandon Scott said, "When it comes to public safety in Baltimore, he should turn off the right-wing propaganda and look at the facts. "Baltimore is the safest it's been in over 50 years. Homicides are down 28% this year alive, reaching the lowest level of any year on record."Meanwhile, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also blasted the president, saying, "Let's not lie to the public, you and I both know you have no authority to take over Chicago."Other Democrat leaders merely skirted around the crimes affecting everyday Americans and accused Trump of imposing the measures to distract House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, "For all the talk Republicans give about giving their localities their rights, where are they now?" in an X New York politician said that Trump merely wants to shift attention from the controversies surrounding his Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, meanwhile, wrote, "the crime scene in DC most damaging to everyday Americans is at 1200 Pennsylvania Ave."The president and the secretary of defense have the power to deploy federal troops anywhere in the US under Title 32, Time previously sent additional manpower to cities in 2020 to help maintain protests over the killing of George Floyd. Earlier this year, he deployed 5,000 National Guard members and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles after protests broke out over his crackdown on illegal to reporters at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, Trump voiced his intention to extend the 30-day limit on the federalized police forces with Congressional approval. "We think the Democrats will not do anything to stop crime, but we think the Republicans will do it almost unanimously," he president said that the bill would focus on Washington DC, but could be an example that he would apply to other cities.
Saudi Gazette
6 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
National Guard troops appear in Washington DC as mayor rejects 'authoritarian push'
WASHINGTON — US National Guard troops have begun appearing on the streets of Washington DC, a day after President Donald Trump deployed the troops to the city and took control of its police force as he argued violent crime was out of control. Armoured vehicles were spotted at urban centres and tourist sites around the US capital on Tuesday evening. Officials have said that 800 National Guard troops are expected to be deployed, as well as 500 federal law enforcement agents. Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, who has denied crime is out of control in her city, described the troop deployment as an "authoritarian push". Trump, a Republican, has also threatened similar deployments against New York and Chicago, two other cities controlled by Democrats. The camouflaged troops have been trickling into the US capital since Trump's announcement on have been seen erecting barricades outside several government buildings, and taking photos with people were arrested by federal agents on Monday night, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The agents are aiding local law said the arrests were for homicide, gun offences, drug dealing, lewd acts, stalking, reckless driving, and other crimes."This is only the beginning," said Leavitt."Over the course of the next month, the Trump administration will relentlessly pursue and arrest every violent criminal in the District who breaks the law, undermines public safety, and endangers law-abiding Americans."FBI Director Kash Patel later said FBI agents were involved in around half of those the mayor of Washington and the city's police chief said earlier in the day they shared the same goal as the federal agents."What I'm focused on is the federal surge and how to make the most of the federal officers that we have," Bowser said after a meeting on Tuesday with US Attorney General Pam Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said: "We know that we have to get illegal guns off of our streets, and if we have this influx of enhanced presence, we know that it's going to make our city even better."But at a town hall on Tuesday night, the mayor sharpened her criticism of called on community members to "protect our city, to protect our autonomy, to protect our home rule and get to the other side of this guy and make sure we elect a Democratic House so that we have a backstop to this authoritarian push", according to the New York comes as a manhunt was launched for an armed assailant who killed a man on Monday night in Logan Circle, one of Washington DC's trendiest neighbourhoods, just a mile from the White was the 100th homicide recorded in Washington DC this year, according to local say the suspect was last seen wearing a black shirt and carrying a shooting prompted US Secret Service to bolster security outside the president's home as a to crime figures published by Washington DC's Metropolitan Police, violent offences peaked in 2023 and fell 35% last year to their lowest level in three DC Police Union chairman Gregg Pemberton has disputed those figures, previously accusing the city police department of "deliberately falsifying crime data, creating a false narrative of reduced crime while communities suffer".FBI data has also indicated a drop in crime in Washington DC last year - a more modest decrease of 9%.Studies suggest the capital's homicide rate is higher than average compared with other major US cities. — BBC
