We cannot just let Donald Trump play games with Americans' lives when he tries to fabricate a crisis and distract from the fact that he is deeply unpopular.
An angry Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic minority leader in the House of Representatives, does not mince words when he is interviewed by CNN. This is happening at the same time as the conflicts between Trump and a number of Democratic mayors and governors are escalating. This is because Trump has been running over the mayors of Los Angeles and Washington DC in recent months by federalizing police forces and sending in the National Guard to "stop the bloodshed".
Want to go for a night walk?
The President has signaled that New York, Chicago, and Baltimore are next in line, which is provoking strong reactions. Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker, a well-known Trump critic, calls the plans "abuse of power". Chicago's Mayor Brandon Johnson dismisses them as "unconstitutional".
The city does not need a military occupation, thunders Brandon.
According to Chicago's official statistics the number of murders there has decreased by 32 percent and the number of shootings by over 37 percent in 2025, compared to the previous year.
Perhaps the most astonishing quarrel is being conducted between Trump and Maryland's Democratic Governor Wes Moore.
Moore became widely known when the giant bridge Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after a collision last year. Now the former TV host and businessman has invited Trump to go for a night walk on the city's streets – something that has made the President flare up and threaten to send in soldiers.
"As President, I would prefer that he clean up this crime disaster before I go there to 'take a walk'", writes Trump and adds that the invitation was made in a "nasty" tone.
Sanctuary cities targeted
Moore, on the other hand, refers to statistics showing that the number of murders in Baltimore is now at its lowest level in 50 years. The Governor – who often emphasizes his 16 years in the military, including in Afghanistan – also calls Trump a "heel spur President" with reference to the medical certificate that led to him being exempt from the draft during the Vietnam War.
Trump and Justice Minister Pam Bondi have emphasized that it is primarily places that have called themselves "sanctuary cities" for undocumented immigrants and whose governments have not wanted to cooperate with the White House's immigration policies and deportations that may receive a visit from the National Guard, according to media.
This has led critics to ask whether the White House's policy is being militarized.
Tina Magnergård Bjers/TT
Facts: USA's National Guard
TT
The National Guard is a very old reserve force within the US defense. It was formed in 1636 in the colonies that then existed in today's USA.
Today's National Guard consists of over 430,000 civilian soldiers in both the army and air force who have both state and federal commitments. Each state has its own National Guard, as well as the capital area DC and territories such as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
At the state level, the governor serves as commander-in-chief. It is not uncommon for the National Guard to be deployed in the event of natural disasters, terrorist attacks, protests, or pandemics. National Guard members can also perform support functions when the US conducts military operations abroad.
The National Guard can also be federalized by the President of the United States under certain circumstances. However, this happens very rarely without the consent of a affected area's governor.
The Guard consists mainly of part-time employees who train actively one weekend a month. These can be called in for active service if needed.
Sources: Nationalguard.mil, CFR and others
Number of murders per 100,000 inhabitants at mid-year:
2021: 14
2023: 17.4
2025: 10.5
Number of cases of aggravated assault per 100,000 inhabitants at mid-year:
2021: 112.5
2023: 103.2
2025: 58.2
Number of armed attacks (with firearms) per 100,000 inhabitants at mid-year:
2021: 62
2023: 69.5
2025: 34.2
Source: The politically independent think tank Council on Criminal Justice
