Michigan Governor Rejects National Guard Request for Detroit Amid GOP Calls

Vice President JD Vance and several Republican Michigan gubernatorial candidates have urged Governor Gretchen Whitmer to request National Guard deployment in Detroit to address the city's crime issues. Vance and others cite Detroit's serious crime problems and advocate for federal support to enhance public safety. However, Governor Whitmer has firmly rejected these calls, labeling the request for National Guard troops as "unwarranted," emphasizing that Detroit's violent crime rate, including homicides, has been declining and is currently at its lowest in decades. Detroit officials, including Mayor Mike Duggan and city spokesperson John Roach, credit local law enforcement strategies for the recent reductions in crime, with significant drops in homicides, shootings, and carjackings reported. The debate reflects a broader partisan divide, with Republicans pushing for federal intervention in Democratic-led cities, while local leaders and Democrats resist such measures, highlighting progress through community and police efforts. President Trump has supported the deployment of troops to several cities as part of a crime crackdown, but Detroit remains without National Guard involvement at this time.