The White House appears to be telegraphing President Donald Trump’s plans to expand the domestic deployment of military forces across U.S. cities — defying opposition from local leaders — while attacking the press for reporting it.
Describing the President’s deployment of the National Guard and U.S. military, ostensibly to protect ICE agents, federal buildings, and patrol city streets, as a “proven formula” to curb crime — which FBI data show was already declining nationwide — Leavitt rebuked the press for “framing this like the president wants to take over the American cities with the military.”
Asked at Monday’s briefing if Democrats have “reason to be concerned that there are long-term plans by this administration to keep U.S. military or the National Guard in American cities, like what we’re seeing here in Washington,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, “Why should they be concerned about the federal government offering help to make their cities a safer place?”
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Aside from Washington, D.C., no mayor who has been notified of possible federal troops on their streets has supported the idea. Mayor Bowser has taken a reserved stance, given the District’s federal constraints. Federal law, in most cases, requires the governor to ask the President for troops.
“They should be concerned about the fact that people in their cities right now are being gunned down every single night, and the president, all he’s trying to do is fix it,” Leavitt insisted, despite troops largely being unwelcome.
She decried what she alleged was a “complete smear campaign by the Democrats and the media, quite frankly.”
“I was reading Politico Playbook this morning — one of the most inside the Beltway newsletters you can find — and you guys are framing this, like the president wants to take over the American cities with the military. The president wants to help these local leaders who have been completely ineffective in securing their own cities,” Leavitt claimed, before suggesting plans for further militarization.
“And we have already seen, there’s a positive formula for that. Look at Washington, D.C. The murder rate has declined significantly. Our streets are safer. People who live here feel safer. All of you in this room, I know you do. You just won’t admit it.”
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“And it’s a proven system that works, and the president wants to make America’s cities safe again,” Leavitt added. “And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
Critics blasted Leavitt’s remarks.
“Troops are being deployed to US cities where the crime rate has plummeted—against the wishes of states, cities, and local residents. It IS a takeover. No other way to frame it,” wrote political strategist Sawyer Hackett.
Democratic activist and strategist Olivia Julianna pointed to a headline that read: “Trump says military should use U.S. cities as ‘training grounds’.” She commented, “This was LAST WEEK btw.”
Author and political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen remarked: “Probably because that is *quite literally* what’s happening.”
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