Fri Aug 29 16:23:24 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text, focusing on an Indian perspective and keeping in mind the context of “The Hindu” newspaper.
**Summary:**
President Trump threatens to deploy the National Guard to several Democrat-run cities, citing runaway crime. However, data indicates that violent crime, including homicides, has actually been declining in those cities and nationally in the first half of 2025, following a post-pandemic trend. Experts and local officials are pushing back against Trump’s claims, with the facts disproving such claims. There are also examples of Republican leaning cities which have significant crime issues as well, yet the National Guard is not deployed there.
**News Article:**
**From Washington to Baltimore: Trump’s National Guard Threat Stirs Debate Amid Declining Crime**
**_The Hindu_ – August 29, 2025**
**WASHINGTON D.C.:** President Donald Trump’s recent threats to deploy the National Guard to major American cities – Chicago, New York, Seattle, Baltimore, San Francisco, and Portland – are raising eyebrows, particularly as data reveals a counter-narrative of declining crime rates. The move is already raising concerns internationally as well.
Trump’s justification centers on the perceived “runaway crime” in these urban centers, all of which are governed by Democrats and located in states that opposed him in the 2024 election. He has specifically mentioned Baltimore as a “hellhole,” and threatened to send in “the troops.” However, data from AH Datalytics, and other sources, paints a different picture. Homicides through the first six months of 2025 were significantly lower, continuing a post-pandemic trend, and even Baltimore has seen declines in major crime. Homicides and rapes were down 25% in the first half of 2025.
John Roman, a data expert at the University of Chicago, dismissed the notion of a national “crisis,” emphasizing that while violence persists in some urban neighborhoods, overall crime trends are encouraging. This perspective is supported by the Real-Time Crime Index, which shows aggravated assaults and property crimes were mostly down in the targeted cities during the first half of 2025.
These facts have led many to view the move as politically motivated, especially considering Trump’s history of exaggerating crime statistics, exemplified by his actions when his administration took over Washington, D.C.’s police force.
The threat has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic governors and mayors, who reject the need for federal intervention. “Deploying the National Guard for municipal policing purposes is not sustainable, scalable, constitutional, or respectful,” said Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Experts have also questioned the effectiveness of such a deployment, warning it could generate undue fear and apprehension among residents. Michael Scott, director of the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, noted Baltimore’s success in reducing violence through community-based initiatives.
Notably, President Trump has refrained from making similar threats against cities in Republican-leaning states, even those facing significant crime challenges. For example, Charlotte, North Carolina, has seen an increase in homicides and vehicle thefts, and Indianapolis has a higher homicide rate than New York.
The debate around Trump’s proposal highlights broader questions about the role of the federal government in local law enforcement, the accuracy of crime narratives, and the potential politicization of public safety. The impact of this action on the long-term relationship between America and local communities may very well ripple outwards, and be felt internationally.
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**Key considerations for *The Hindu*’s audience:**
* **India’s Internal Security Debates:** The article implicitly relates to ongoing debates within India regarding the use of central forces in states, Centre-State relations, and the manipulation of statistics for political gain.
* **Geopolitical Implications:** The Hindu would be interested in covering US internal issues due to the global impact of American policy and international relations.
First Piper 