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US President Donald Trump has warned that he will send National Guard troops to major Democratic-led cities, including Chicago and New York, presenting it as a "strike against crime".
The decision has caused strong political reactions in the US.
Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker has called the president's plan an "abuse of power," stressing that there is no emergency that justifies deploying federal troops to the state. "The president is trying to manufacture a false crisis," Pritzker said in a statement.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also reacted, saying he had not received any official notification of the deployment of troops and that the city had “grave concerns” about such an intervention. He called the president’s plan “disorganized, unnecessary and irresponsible,” warning that an “illegal deployment” of troops could increase tensions between residents and police and jeopardize progress made in reducing crime.
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, where about 2,000 National Guard troops are already deployed, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered them to patrol armed, contrary to what the Pentagon had previously stated. The troops are currently stationed near key points in the capital, such as the National Mall and Union Station, but have not taken part in police operations.
Trump, from the White House, called the mission in Washington "a great success," saying the capital had been turned from a "hellhole" to a safe place, and warned that he may declare a national emergency to keep troops on the ground beyond the 30-day deadline.
According to American media, around 1,700 National Guard troops are expected to be deployed to 19 different states in the coming weeks, with the majority in Texas, where they will also support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
The operation has been hailed by the Trump administration, which claims that over 700 arrests have been made in Washington alone and 91 illegal firearms have been seized. But recent polls show that the intervention is deeply unpopular with residents of the capital: according to a Washington Post poll, nearly 80% of them oppose the deployment of federal troops and the National Guard.
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