Democrats Respond as Trump Targets Other Cities After D.C.
When Donald Trump announced thefederalization of local law enforcement and the deployment of the National Guardin Washington, D.C., on Monday, in an effort totackle crimeand "beautify" the city, he put other places on notice, too. "This will go further," the President said. "We're going to take back our capital … and then we'll look at other cities also," singling out Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Baltimore, and Oakland. Democrats, whom Trump labeled "weak on crime," have responded to the "hostile takeover" of D.C. and threats to do so elsewhere. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called Trump's move "unsettling and unprecedented," especially as the capital has actually, contrary to Trump's claims, seen adowntrend of crimein recent years. The Democratic Mayors Association called it a "political charade" to distract Americans. "Let's be clear: Crime is down in most major cities—including Washington, DC—in spite of Donald Trump, not because of him," the group said in astatement. "While there is still more work to be done, Mayors need a federal partner who works with them, not against them." California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who previouslychallenged Trump's mobilizationof the National Guard in California, suggested in a post on X on Monday that he "saw that coming" in reference to Trump's D.C. announcement. Newsomhad warned in a speech in Junethat "other states are next." Trump "was just getting warmed up in Los Angeles," Newsompostedseparately on Monday. "He will gaslight his way into militarizing any city he wants in America. This is what dictators do." Read More:Trump Has Deployed Troops At Home Like No Other President. Here Is Where He Has Sent Them Here's what to know about the other cities Trump mentioned and how their leaders have responded. Maryland's largest city, withmore than half a million people, has reported that crime has been on the decline. Adashboardoperated by the city police shows that violent crime to date decreased by some 17% in the last year. Similarly, homicides have been down by almost 28%, and property crimes by around 13%. Brandon Scott, the city's mayor, in response to Trump's announcement on Monday, said in astatementthat "when it comes to public safety in Baltimore, he should turn off the right-wing propaganda and look at the facts." Scott added that Trump was "distracting" from "the issues he should be focused on—including the roller coaster of the US economy thanks to his policies." Scott, along with Democratic Gov. Wes Moore and other Maryland elected officials, alsoissueda joint statement protesting Trump's "power grab" in D.C., which they said "is based on pure lies about our communities." Trump singled out the Illinois city of more than 2.7 million people in his press conference, criticizing the city's supposed scourge of crime, which the President alleged has been worsened by policies against cash bail. "Every place in the country you have no cash bail is a disaster," Trump said. Illinoismade history in 2023as the first state to eliminate cash bail as a condition of pre-trial release for people arrested. A year after it was passed, crime ratesin Illinois did not increase, debunking claims that removing cash bail requirements would worsen crime in the state. In Chicago specifically, the crime rate has gone down by 15% since 2023, according to Chicagopolice data. The office of Chicago Mayor Brandon JohnsoncalledTrump's claims about crime in major cities "misinformation." Johnson argued in a statement that Trump has actually been an impediment to greater progress. "In just two years we have made historic progress, driving down homicides by more than 30% and reducing shootings by almost 40% in the last year alone," Johnson said. "Last week, we learned that President Trump cut another $158 million in funding for violence prevention programs in cities like Chicago. These cuts are on top of the Trump administration dismantling the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and terminating more than $800 million in grants for anti-violence programs across the country." "If President Trump wants to help make Chicago safer, he can start by releasing the funds for anti-violence programs that have been critical to our work to drive down crime and violence. Sending in the national guard would only serve to destabilize our city and undermine our public safety efforts." After Trump's press conference on Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bassposted on XaLos Angeles Timesheadline:, "L.A. on pace to see lowest homicide total in nearly 60 years as killings plummet." Homicides, according to thearticle, have been on a "steady downward trajectory" since 2021. According to aMarch releasefrom Bass' office citing Los Angeles Police Department data, homicides decreased 14% in 2024 compared to the year prior, and shooting victims have decreased by 19% in 2024 compared to 2023. Bass had previously criticized the Trump Administration's "assault" on Los Angeles, after National Guard troops were mobilized in June to respond to anti-ICE raid protests.Speaking to MSNBCon Monday, Bass called the federal takeover of the D.C. a "performance" and a "phase of an experiment" that Democrats have to make sure "fails." Trump also mentioned his home city of almost 8.48 million. Despite itsreputation for crime, New York hasreportedthat homicides and shootings decreased for the third straight year. In January, the city reported its overall crime index went down by almost 3% in 2024, though there was an 19% increase in rape cases and a 5% uptick in felony assault cases. The President's warning that he's going to look at New York in "a little while" now looms over the upcomingmayoral electionin November. Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat who is running as an independent, warned that Democratic nominee and state AssemblymanZohran Mamdaniis unprepared to stand up to Trump. Cuomopostedon X: "What you're seeing in D.C. today is exactly what will happen if [Mamdani] becomes Mayor. Trump will flatten him like a pancake." "In 2020, Trump sent the National Guard into other states," Cuomo added, referencingTrump's response to nationwide social justice protestsafter George Floyd's death. "Not New York. There's only one person in this race who can stand up to Trump: the one who already has, successfully and effectively. NYC can't afford a rookie who needs on-the-job training to fight for us." Mamdani offered his own view: "Donald Trump does not respond well to cowardice," hesaid, according to CBS News. "He requires a response that showcases the ability to fight back against that same agenda, and that's what I would do if and when he makes these kinds of threats with regard to New York City." Mamdani and Cuomo are running against the incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who said via a spokesperson, according to CBS News, that New York City "doesn't need any help from our federal counterparts in driving down crime—we are doing it on our own every single day." Earlier Adamssaidhis Administration is focused on "not just the numbers and the stats" but on helping New Yorkers "feel" safe. Barbara Lee, Oakland's mayor, said in astatementthat Trump's characterization of Oakland, which he called "so far gone," is "wrong and based in fear-mongering in an attempt to score cheap political points." The California city of approximately 440,000 has seen violent crime plummet by almost a fifth from 2023 to 2024, according to data from the city's police department, which alsoshowsthat crime has gone down in almost every single category. Contact usatletters@time.com.
Democrats Respond as Trump Targets Other Cities After D.C. When Donald Trump announced thefederalization of local law enforcement and the de...
