Trump: ‘We’ll Send More Than The National Guard’ To Keep Cities Safe
Speaking from aboard the USS George Washington at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, President Donald J. Trump delivered a searing address on domestic security, vowing to restore safety to America’s most violent cities — by force if necessary.
“We have cities that are troubled,” Trump said. “And we’re sending in our National Guard — and if we need more than the National Guard, we’ll send more than the National Guard, because we’re gonna have safe cities. We’re not gonna have people killed in our cities. Whether people like that or not, that’s what we’re doing.”
Chicago in Crisis, Pritzker in Denial
Trump’s remarks come on the heels of one of the deadliest Labor Day weekends in recent Chicago history. Nearly 60 people were shot and at least nine were killed over three days. For the 13th consecutive year, Chicago led the nation in homicides — 572 in 2024 alone — under the watch of Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Yet despite rising cries for help from citizens and even local officials, Pritzker continued to reject federal assistance, accusing the White House of “manufacturing a crisis.”
Trump didn’t mince words: “We’re going in. I didn’t say when we’re going in. This isn’t political — I have an obligation.”
Operation Midway Blitz Begins
That obligation materialized in early October when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops to protect ICE agents and federal facilities under siege in Chicago.
Pritzker derided the move as “Trump’s Invasion,” but the administration held firm, citing 10 U.S.C. §12406, which gives the president authority to deploy state National Guard units when local governments are unable or unwilling to enforce federal law.
“Everybody knows Chicago is a hellhole right now,” Trump said. “We’re going to straighten it out.”
Operation Midway Blitz, as it was dubbed, led to hundreds of arrests, including illegal immigrants with violent records, gang members, and fugitives tied to cartel-linked trafficking operations.
Portland Next, Judges Push Back
As unrest reignited in Portland, Trump ordered another 200 National Guard troops drawn from Oregon and California to support federal forces. When a judge attempted to block the move, Trump blasted the ruling as “shameful,” vowing not to let “activist courts stand in the way of public safety.”
Trump also suggested some Democrat politicians are refusing help out of fear. “There’s no way someone can say things are wonderful in Chicago,” he said. “I think Pritzker — he’s afraid for his life.”
The Trump Doctrine: Safe Cities, No Excuses
From Japan, Trump made it clear: under his administration, safety is not negotiable.
“Law and order is not a partisan issue. It’s not up for debate,” he declared. “We’re gonna have safe cities. Whether people like that or not.”
As the Trump administration expands its deployment of federal and National Guard resources, a new precedent is being set: governors may refuse help, but they won’t prevent action. Trump’s message to lawless cities is simple — order will be restored. One way or another.