Trump proposes National Guard deployment to New Orleans; ‘we’ll straighten it out’

The US president claimed federal troops could quickly restore order, adding that the task would be “easier than DC.”

By: Express Web Desk
September 4, 2025 12:44 PM IST

3 min read

In the meantime, Trump will authorise the Pentagon to use “secondary titles" so the department can go by its original name.

US President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that New Orleans could be the next US city to see National Guard deployment, as he continues to press for federal intervention in crime-ridden urban areas. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said that his administration was weighing whether to send forces to Chicago, Baltimore, or “a place like New Orleans, where we have a great governor, Jeff Landry, who wants us to come in and straighten out a very nice section of this country that’s become quite tough.”

The president claimed federal troops could quickly restore order. “We’re going to be going to maybe Louisiana, and you have New Orleans, which has a crime problem. We’ll straighten that out in about two weeks,” Trump said, adding that the task would be “easier than DC.”

He has frequently touted Washington as a “safe zone” since deploying federal forces there in August, with the White House reporting over 1,760 arrests since then. Mayor Muriel Bowser acknowledged crime fell after Trump’s August intervention, but said the same results could have been achieved by simply adding more police officers. She dismissed the need for an extended presidential emergency.

Local pushback

City officials in New Orleans rejected the idea.

Councilmember Oliver Thomas, also a mayoral candidate, argued via text that “crime is down in New Orleans” and suggested Trump’s comments were “very political or a major overreaction,” according to AP.

Councilmember Jean-Paul Morrell called the plan “ridiculous,” stressing that Guardsmen are not trained for law enforcement. “They can’t solve crimes, they can’t interview witnesses, and they aren’t trained to constitutionally police,” he said, adding that the New Orleans Police Department was “doing a great job with the existing resources they have.”

Also Read: | Trump says he’s committed to sending National Guard troops to Chicago

Support from state Republicans

Republican leaders in Louisiana voiced support for Trump.

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Governor Jeff Landry wrote on social media: “We will take President @realDonaldTrump’s help from New Orleans to Shreveport!” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, whose district includes suburbs near the city, said residents “deserve that same level of security” as Washington. Attorney General Liz Murrill accused city leaders of rejecting valuable federal aid, saying, “If your gut reaction is to reject the President’s offer for assistance without condition, perhaps you’re the problem – not him.”

New Orleans is a Democratic-leaning city in a Republican-run state. Local officials have stressed cooperation with federal and state partners on public safety, but maintain they do not need a military presence in their neighbourhoods.

(With inputs from AP)

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