U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited tensions with Democratic leaders after threatening to send National Guard troops into Baltimore, a move critics say is part of his controversial push to expand federal control over crime and immigration enforcement.
In a fiery post on his Truth Social platform, Trump labeled the Maryland city “out of control” and “crime-ridden,” vowing to dispatch troops if Governor Wes Moore “needs help like Gavin ‘Newscum’ did in L.A.”
He added that federal forces would “quickly clean up the Crime,” citing the ongoing deployment in Washington, D.C.
The remarks triggered a sharp backlash from Democrats, with Governor Moore denouncing the proposal as outdated fear-mongering. “We are not going to allow these tropes and 1980s scare tactics to define Baltimore,” Moore said on CNN, even inviting Trump to tour the city’s neighborhoods with him. “Hey Donald, we can get you a golf cart if that makes things easier,” the governor quipped on X.
Trump’s feud with Moore has intensified in recent weeks, following the governor’s criticism of his threat to cut federal funds for Maryland’s recovery from a collapsed bridge.
The dispute comes amid Trump’s broader, unprecedented use of the National Guard in Democratic strongholds.
Earlier this month, thousands of Guard members armed with rifles were ordered onto the streets of Washington, D.C., effectively placing the capital’s policing under federal control.
In June, Trump deployed nearly 5,000 troops to Los Angeles during protests against immigration raids, drawing fierce opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender.
Reports also suggest the administration is preparing to send thousands more troops into Chicago, America’s third-largest city a move that has already sparked resistance from local Democratic leaders.
For Trump, the deployments have become a signature show of strength. For his opponents, they are a symbol of federal overreach and political provocation in cities that overwhelmingly reject him.
