Maryland Officials Reject Trump National Guard Gun Violence Proposal

Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott publicly rejected President Donald Trump's proposal to deploy the National Guard to address gun violence in Baltimore, emphasizing that such a military presence is unnecessary and counterproductive. They highlighted Baltimore's sustained decline in homicides since 2023, attributing the progress to community-based strategies focused on addressing root causes like poverty and mental health. Moore criticized Trump's National Guard threat as a "purely theatrical" political move and invited the president to visit Baltimore to witness the city's improvements firsthand. Trump responded by disparaging Baltimore as a "horrible, horrible deathbed" and declined the invitation, prompting a unified show of solidarity from local leaders. The officials underscored the importance of investing in underserved neighborhoods like Park Heights, which has faced decades of disinvestment but is now experiencing revitalization efforts under Mayor Scott. The leaders' walk through Park Heights symbolized their commitment to community-driven solutions rather than military intervention in tackling gun violence.