Trump Threatens to Deploy National Guard in Baltimore

President Trump has threatened to send military troops into Baltimore to "quickly clean up" crime, echoing recent deployments of National Guard forces in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, NBC News reports. In a Truth Social post Sunday, Trump said if Maryland Governor Wes Moore "needs help, like [California Gov.] Gavin [Newsom] did in LA, I will send in the 'troops,' which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime." This approach, Trump said, would mirror the activation of roughly 2,000 National Guard members in the nation's capital, a move he describes as targeting crime but critics call politically motivated overreach. Some of the National Guard units in DC are now carrying firearms, the AP reports.

Moore responded by accusing Trump of relying on outdated scare tactics and being disconnected from the communities he criticizes, arguing that real solutions require leaders to engage directly with affected residents. He emphasized that he only deploys the state's National Guard in genuine emergencies and that he "will not authorize the usage of Maryland National Guard forces for missions that I do not deem to be either mission critical or mission aligned." He said deploying them in the way Trump plans is "deeply disrespectful," and requires them to do a job they're not trained for, Axios reports. Data cited by local officials show Baltimore homicides and nonfatal shootings are down more than 24% and 18% respectively this year, contradicting Trump's characterization of the city as "crime-ridden."

Beyond the military threat, Trump also suggested he might withdraw federal funding for the replacement of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in 2024—a reversal of prior federal commitments. Moore and other Maryland leaders condemned the threat, warning it could damage both the state and the national economy. Congressional Democrats from Maryland labeled Trump's threats illegal and counterproductive, insisting that public safety improvements are already underway and require federal partnership, not military intervention. Trump is reportedly planning a National Guard deployment in Chicago, and has threatened to do the same in New York.