Maryland Democratic Governor Wes Moore, a military veteran who served in Afghanistan, said President Donald Trump was deploying the National Guard in Washington, D.C., to distract the country from his damaging policies—and that he was “heartbroken” for the servicemen and women being sent to patrol the nation’s capital.
About 800 Guard troops arrived in Washington on Tuesday after Trump said they were needed to curb crime in the “lawless” city. The administration said the troops would hit the ground Tuesday night.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump’s D.C. deployment is among the most aggressive federal interventions in local law enforcement in recent history. The president’s administration has bypassed the city’s elected leaders, several of whom have criticized the takeover as “unsettling,” “unprecedented” and “dangerous.”
The deployment comes as a judge in California is weighing whether Trump’s recent decision to federalize Guard personnel in Los Angeles during protests over immigration raids violated federal law.
What To Know
Moore told CNN in an interview that he took his role as commander in chief of the Maryland National Guard very seriously and would only ever send members on a deployment he deemed “either mission-critical or mission-aligned.”
“I’m embarrassed, I’m angered and, frankly, I’m heartbroken for members of the National Guard asked to take on this mission,” Moore said.
Trump announced on Monday that he was temporarily assuming federal control of the capital’s police force and deploying about 800 National Guardsmen because D.C. had descended into “lawlessness” and had become “one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world.”
Moore said Trump was using the National Guard as a “tool” to divert attention from his damaging policies.
“What we’re seeing right now, this distraction, distracting away from the fact that Donald Trump’s policies have caused unemployment to go up, have caused people to lose their health care, have caused children to be able to lose their food benefits and he’s now using this as a tool,” he said.
“He’s using military personnel, these citizen soldiers, as a cudgel, and as a tool to be able to advance his political purposes.”
Washington, D.C., does have a relatively high violent crime and murder rate compared to many U.S. cities, but the district has seen a 26 percent drop in violent crime this year.
Moore said if Trump really wants to address violent crime, he should look at progress in Maryland over the past 2 1/2 years, adding: “The homicide rate in Baltimore is at a near-50-year low.”
Trump said his administration would “go further” in its efforts to tackle crime and homelessness and he mentioned Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Oakland as other potential targets.
What People Are Saying
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked about the administration’s efforts on crime being introduced in other cities, told reporters: “Right now, this administration is focused on making D.C. safe and beautiful again. When the time comes, we’ll talk about that.”
Moore, in his interview with CNN, added: “I take very seriously about how, when and why I deploy members of our National Guard in cases of emergency and in true crises. And I 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.”
What Happens Next
The National Guard deployment in Washington is set to last until at least September 25, unless they are released earlier. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb indicated that district officials are exploring all options to challenge the federal takeover.
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