The Trump Administration’s repeated decisions to deploy the National Guard in American cities demonstrate the administration’s rash and often impulsive behavior. This unconstitutional decision – namely, in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. – proves to be a costly act of fear-mongering which not only fuels harmful narratives against immigrants and people of color, but also defies democratic norms by eroding the balance of power between federal and state governments. This leads me to wonder, how many times is Trump going to defy constitutional principles for political gain?
On Aug. 11, President Trump ordered hundreds of National Guard troops to D.C. and put the D.C. police department under federal control in an attempt to crack down on crime in what he claims is an “out-of-control” crime problem. He referenced the need to “re-establish law, order, and public safety.” It is estimated that the number of armed troops has reached nearly 2,300. This marks the first time a president has federalized the Metropolitan Police Department. On Sept. 4, Washington, D.C. sued the Trump administration over this deployment of troops, stating that it is “unprecedented” and “unlawful.” D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has accused Trump of violating the Constitution and federal law by sending thousands of National Guard troops into the capital without consent from local leaders. The troops have been granted powers to patrol neighborhoods, conduct searches and make arrests, despite federal laws that prohibit the military from acting as local police.
This comes two days after U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that the Trump administration violated the law in deploying National Guard troops to immigration protests in Los Angeles during the summer. The judge stated that the administration refused to “meaningfully coordinate with state and local officials” and that the troops executed domestic law “beyond their usual authority” as they were armed and their identities were often obscured, making arrests, searches, acting as informants and collecting evidence. California Governor Gavin Newsom also sued, with this deployment marking the first time in decades that a state’s National Guard was activated without consent from its governor.
“I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor, and worse.” Trump said regarding his efforts in D.C., “Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people,” he continued.
“For the first time in their lives, [D.C. residents] can use the parks, they can walk on the streets,” advisor Stephen Miller said weeks later.
These statements demonstrate Trump’s ability to fear-monger and paint a misleading picture of reality. For reference, an NPR report found that D.C. did experience a rise in crime after the pandemic, similar to many other American cities. Since 2023, however, crime rates have fallen. According to the Justice Department, violent crime in the capital hit a 30-year low last year: homicides are down by more than 10 percent, robbery by almost 30 percent and carjackings by nearly 40 percent. While over 70 percent of D.C. residents have claimed in a Washington Post poll that crime is a problem, nearly 80 percent of them opposed the police takeover and deployment. Residents have vocalized their desire for autonomy within their own city. D.C. resident and Colgate sophomore Charlotte Adams weighed in on the situation.
“I personally have never really felt unsafe in the city. I have witnessed petty crime, sure, and occasionally there will be robberies in my neighborhood, but I never feel unsafe,” Adams said.
I thus believe Trump’s rash, harsh statements simply accelerate false narratives that in turn contribute to anti-immigrant, anti-homeless and racist rhetoric. Much of his campaign was focused on mass deportations, and this blunt, inflammatory language furthers this anti-immigrant rhetoric that has flourished throughout his term by deeming immigrants and the homeless as threats to public safety. By conflating crime with immigration and homelessness, Trump’s comments generalize certain groups and contribute to these harmful stereotypes. In a way, his response to arm National Guard soldiers on the streets of D.C. simply escalates and exacerbates the situation at hand.
“I remember walking along the National Mall and seeing National Guard members just standing under a tree. The National Mall is probably the last place they’re needed.” Adams said. “We’ve now seen that they’re standing at Metro platforms, which I feel would only ever agitate a situation rather than diffuse one.”
Similar to the concerns listed in each lawsuit, I believe these actions in D.C. and Los Angeles undermine each city’s autonomy and damage trust between residents and law enforcement. Trump has ignored core democratic principles that the military cannot and should not be used for domestic law enforcement. This neglect of democratic norms displays his worrisome aspirations for power and inclination to act as though he is above the law.
Trump’s takeovers of D.C. and Los Angeles – deemed unconstitutional by a federal judge, attorney general and state governor – represent his tendency to defy the U.S. Constitution time and time again. How many times has he done this? How many times does he need to do this for people to realize that he is not the representation of U.S. values that many claim him to be? This is only further proven by his response of “I don’t know” when asked in May if he must uphold the Constitution as president. It is evident that, through these city takeovers, Trump’s unconstitutional overreach is harmful and promotes values that should never be embodied by the leader of our country.
