Trump advocates for deploying National Guard in additional American cities, despite crime data pointing towards a contrasting narrative

In the first half of 2025, several U.S. cities have seen a significant decrease in homicides and aggravated assaults. According to recent reports, homicides were down significantly compared to the same period in 2024 in cities such as Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Baltimore, and San Francisco. In New York, aggravated assaults remained virtually unchanged.

However, the deployment of the National Guard to cities has sparked controversy. Experts and residents express concerns that such a move could generate undue fear and apprehension among residents rather than perceptions of reassurance and safety. Democratic elected officials in cities targeted by President Donald Trump, such as San Francisco, have publicly rejected suggestions that their residents need the National Guard.

In Baltimore, homicides and rapes were down 25% or more in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Reports of rape were up in New York and Chicago during the first half of the year, but down in the other cities, including a 51% drop in San Francisco.

Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, New York, Seattle, Baltimore, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon. However, there is much less support for federal control of police, according to a survey. Governors and mayors from these cities, such as Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, have expressed opposition to deploying the National Guard for municipal policing purposes.

Crime remains a concern in many cities. Amy Holt, a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, has experienced incidents of crime, including someone trying to steal her husband's car and finding bullets on the ground while walking with dogs. Charlotte had 105 homicides in 2024 compared to 88 in 2023, and the rate of vehicle thefts per 100,000 people more than doubled there from 2020 through 2024.

Shootings remain a frequent event in the U.S., as seen in Minneapolis where two children were killed attending a Catholic school Mass. Property crimes, such as theft, burglary, and motor vehicle theft, were mostly down in those six cities in the first six months of 2025.

Experts question the effectiveness of the National Guard in dealing with crime and where troops would be deployed in cities. Michael Scott, director of the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing at Arizona State University, believes that offering mentorship, social services, and job opportunities to young people likely to commit crimes has resulted in more significant reductions in shootings and homicides than any other strategy. John Roman, a data expert, stated there's no U.S. city where there "is really a crisis."

The vast majority of Americans see crime as a "major problem" in large cities, according to a survey. Vice President JD Vance has suggested that governors and mayors should ask the Trump administration for help in dealing with crime. However, the deployment of the National Guard to cities remains a contentious issue, with many questioning its effectiveness and potential impact on community safety.

Trump advocates for deploying National Guard in additional American cities, despite crime data pointing towards a contrasting narrative