Amidst ongoing political tensions, a notable critique has emerged involving President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C. Labeling it a “crime-ridden wasteland,” Trump has drawn criticism from several Black mayors who highlight discrepancies between his rhetoric and actual crime statistics.
AP News reports that Trump has characterized cities like Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Oakland, California, as being beset by crime and poorly managed. A commonality among these cities is their leadership by Black mayors.
“It was not lost on any member of our organization that the mayors either were Black or perceived to be Democrats,” expressed Van Johnson, mayor of Savannah, Georgia, and president of the African American Mayors Association (AMAA). “And that’s unfortunate. For mayors, we play with whoever’s on the field.”
The AMAA has countered Trump’s assertions by comparing crime statistics, revealing that crime rates in the mentioned cities are, in fact, decreasing. Despite Trump’s comments, violent crime in these areas has been on the decline.
Even with a 26% decrease in violent crime, Trump sent the National Guard to D.C. Baltimore has seen crime reductions over the past three years, with Los Angeles experiencing a 14% drop in homicides between 2023 and 2024. Similarly, Chicago reported a 30% reduction in homicides and a 40% decrease in shootings.
“We need to amplify our voices to confront the rhetoric that crime is just running rampant around major U.S. cities. It’s just not true,” Johnson emphasized. “It’s not supported by any evidence or statistics whatsoever.”
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott criticized Trump for using crime as a “dog whistle,” arguing that it undermines genuine efforts to tackle crime. Scott noted the Justice Department’s reduction of $1 million in funding for violent crime prevention programs.
“He has actively undermined efforts that are making a difference, saving lives in cities across the country in favor of militarized policing of Black communities,” Scott stated in an email to AP. “We will continue to closely work with our regional federal law enforcement agencies, who have been great partners, and will do everything in our power to continue the progress despite the roadblocks this administration attempts to implement.”
Under Scott’s leadership, Baltimore has embraced a “public health” approach to combatting violent crime, establishing the Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan in 2021. This plan increased resources for community intervention and victim support services.
Oakland has also seen a 29% decrease in violent crime, thanks in part to collaboration between community organizations and the city’s Department of Violence Prevention.
“These results show that we’re on the right track,” Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee remarked. “We’re going to keep building on this progress with the same comprehensive approach that got us here.”
The approach of investing in communities and addressing crime at its root through social programs is proving to be more effective than militarized interventions. Black mayors are closely observing how D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser navigates the federalization of the D.C. police force, with Johnson praising her handling of the situation.
“Black mayors are resilient. We are intrinsically children of struggle,” Johnson told AP. “We learn to adapt quickly, and I believe that we will and we are.”
SEE ALSO:
Trump’s National Guard Deployment Is A Direct Attack On Black DC
Black D.C. Is The Stage For Trump’s Authoritarian Rehearsal
