National Guard Armed in Washington, Deployment to Baltimore, Chicago Expected

President Donald Trump has escalated his crackdown on crime by directing certain National Guard units in Washington, D.C., to carry firearms, including handguns and rifles, marking a significant military intervention in the capital. This move, authorized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, permits armed troops to use force only as a last resort in response to imminent threats, and has drawn criticism from Democratic leaders who view it as an overreach of federal power. Trump has threatened to extend this deployment to other Democratic-led cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, and New York, despite opposition from local officials like Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who highlight declining crime rates and question the legality and necessity of such federal interventions. The Pentagon has conducted preliminary planning for potential deployments but has not received formal orders, while local governments have vowed to resist what they consider unconstitutional occupation. The situation has sparked political clashes, with Trump accusing Democrats of failing to address crime effectively, and some community members expressing mixed feelings about the National Guard presence. Overall, the federal militarization of city streets under Trump's directive is intensifying debates over crime policy, federal authority, and civil liberties in urban areas governed by Democrats.