Which states and cities is Donald Trump eyeing National Guard deployment?

Since taking office for a second term in January, US President Donald Trump declared he wants to deploy the military to several American cities to quell crime, despite a sharp drop in crime rates in major US cities.

One thing these cities have in common is that almost all are led by Black mayors.

Where has the National Guard been unleashed, and what's next for the United States? 

Los Angeles

Los Angeles was the first US city to see federal troop deployment during Trump's second term, following mass demonstrations against ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

The National Guard and the Marines stayed in Los Angeles for about 30 days, the longest troop deployment since Trump began his second term in January. A total of around 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines were in the city's downtown between June and September.

During their deployment, the troops used non-lethal force, including rubber bullets, causing multiple injuries. In response to the clashes, the city’s mayor Karen Bass ordered multiple curfews.

Trump accused the protesters of being "paid troublemakers" and said that if he hadn't sent in the military, the city would be burning.

Washington, DC

Mayor Muriel Bowser has acceded to Trump's demands, it is believed, because she's concerned about losing home rule, a status the nation's capital achieved in 1973 that gives residents city and congressional representation.

The National Guard troops have reportedly been picking up garbage in the nation's capital due to the lack of clarity of their role in law enforcement.

Thousands of people have marched in Washington, DC, to protest the presence of federal troops.

Chicago

After several days of threatening to deploy federal troops to Chicago, Trump appeared to back down, saying he would intervene only if requested by local authorities.

The US President then took to Truth Social, his social media company, sharing a meme reading: "'I love the smell of deportations in the morning…' Chicago about to find out it's called the Department of WAR," followed by emojis of helicopters.

In response, thousands of people in Chicago, organised by the Coalition Against the Trump agenda, gathered to protest the president's threats of a military deployment to the city.

Baltimore

Trump has also suggested sending troops to Baltimore, a city he has repeatedly described as dirty.

"Chicago is a hellhole right now, Baltimore is a hellhole right now," Trump said at a press conference on Tuesday. "We have a right to do it because I have an obligation to do it to protect this country, and that includes Baltimore."

"We have made tremendous strides in reducing crime in this city," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said in response. "We are not satisfied. We want to keep that work going, but we do not need or want the National Guard in Baltimore to do that."

In light of Trump's threats to send troops to Baltimore, Maryland, Governor Wes Moore offered to give Trump a public safety tour of the city so he could assess crime levels firsthand.

Oakland

Trump has suggested Oakland as a target for a military takeover.

"Then you have, of course, Baltimore and Oakland, we don't even mention that any more. They are so far gone. We are not going to let that happen. We are not going to lose our cities over this," President Trump said last week.

"We are not going to allow a military occupation of this city. That is what this president, Donald Trump, wants to do," said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, according to a report by ABC News.

Lee, who represented the district in the US Congress in Trump's first term, said, "This is part of his effort to dismantle democracy, militarise cities, where people, which he doesn't recognise, understand or see."

New Orleans

Trump recently added another city and state to his list. He suggested sending troops to New Orleans in Louisiana, which appears to be the first red state he is targeting for military deployment.

"So, we're making a determination now," Trump said on Wednesday in the Oval Office during a meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki. "Do we go to Chicago? Do we go to a place like New Orleans, where we have a great governor, Jeff Landry, who wants us to come in and straighten out a very nice section of this country that's become quite, you know, quite tough, quite bad."

Landry, a Republican, followed with a response on X (formerly Twitter), adding another city to the mix, saying, "We will take President Donald Trump's help from New Orleans to Shreveport!" 

Some in the Democratic leadership of red states, including the blue city of New Orleans, are firmly opposed to federal military intervention.

Memphis

Memphis is one of the latest cities that Trump has suggested for a troop deployment. In mid-September, the president established a federal task force to assess what he said could be a "replica" of what happened in Washington, DC. 

"It's very important because of the crime that's going on, not only in Memphis, in many cities," Trump said. He noted the deployment would include not just the National Guard, but also the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), the US Marshals, and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

Memphis has one of the highest crime rates in the US. However, as many have pointed out, it has also seen a significant reduction in crime in recent years.

Portland

Trump has announced that he will be sending troops to the city in Oregon. According to a memo from the president, the National Guard will be deployed for two months. 

The move appears to come in response to month-long protests against ICE. The Department of Homeland Security have accused protesters of attacking and endangering ICE officers.

"Rose City Antifa, a recently designated domestic terrorist organisation, illegally doxed ICE officers. They published their home address online and on public flyers. Individuals associated with Antifa also sent death threats to DHS personnel," DHS wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Likening Portland to a war zone, Trump reportedly said: "You go out to Portland, people die out there. Many people have died over the years in Portland. Portland is, I don't know how anybody lives there. It's amazing, but it's anarchy out there. That's what they want. They want anarchy."

In response to Trump's announcement of troop deployment, the city of Portland and the state of Oregon have filed a lawsuit against Trump.

San Francisco

In October, Trump suggested sending the National Guard to San Francisco, following a public suggestion by tech billionaire Marc Benioff, who no longer lives in the city. Days later, the president reversed course after speaking with Mayor Daniel Lurie and some of the city's top tech leaders, who reminded him that the city is an important business hub. 

Minneapolis

In October, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced Operation Twin Shield, an apparent plan to send the National Guard to the twin cities of Minneapolis and possibly Saint Paul, citing the area's history with police. Following her announcement, protests against the move broke out immediately.

New York City

New York City has not been on Trump's list of cities that he has repeatedly mentioned for a federal military takeover.

However, at a town hall held Saturday by Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist said that people should prepare for troops as though it were inevitable.

"We cannot try to convince ourselves that because something is illegal, Donald Trump will not do it," Mamdani said at the event on Saturday. "We have to be prepared, and we have to be clear-eyed, and we have to understand that it will take every single tool at our disposal."