America’s might isn’t being used properly. That is about to change, big time.
Because the U.S. military received an order from Trump that left everyone in stunned silence.
Trump Threatens National Guard Deployment to San Francisco Amid Crime Crackdown
resident Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to deploy the National Guard to San Francisco as part of a broader federal effort to address crime in several U.S. cities. In an interview with Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo, Trump described San Francisco as a city that “was truly one of the great cities of the world, and then 15 years ago it went wrong, it went woke.” He added, “We’re going to San Francisco and we’re going to make it great.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded swiftly on social media, stating, “Nobody wants you here. You will ruin one of America’s greatest cities.” Trump characterized the targeted cities, including San Francisco, as predominantly “Democrat-run,” calling them “unsafe” and “a disaster.” He also mentioned the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act, a rarely used law allowing presidential deployment of military forces domestically in specific circumstances.
The administration’s moves have drawn widespread opposition, including lawsuits from local and state officials and protests across affected areas. A nationwide “No Kings” rally over the weekend saw millions participate in more than 2,700 events protesting the federal actions.
San Francisco: Mixed Local Reactions to Federal Proposal
Trump first raised the prospect of troops in the Bay Area last week, telling FBI Director Kash Patel that San Francisco was among “great cities that can be fixed.” California State Sen. Scott Wiener, whose district includes the city, opposed the idea on X, saying, “San Francisco neither needs nor wants Trump’s personal army on our streets. We don’t need Trump’s authoritarian crackdown in our city. Bottom line: Stay the h*ll out of San Francisco.”
Initial support came from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who told the New York Times ahead of his Dreamforce conference that he backed the deployment. Benioff later retracted his statement on X, clarifying he did not believe the National Guard was necessary for city safety and apologizing for the concern caused.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has not directly addressed Trump’s latest comments but noted during a Friday news conference that crime in the city has dropped 30%, reaching its lowest levels in decades. The San Francisco Police Department reported a 40% increase in entry-level applications this year, totaling 3,375, amid a prior officer shortage.
Newsom has pursued legal action against the Trump administration, filing a lawsuit in June over the federalization of the California National Guard for Los Angeles protests and joining an Oregon lawsuit this month regarding troop movements from Los Angeles to Portland.
Memphis: Legal Challenge to Guard Deployment
In Memphis, seven Tennessee elected officials filed a lawsuit last week against the state’s governor and attorney general, contesting the deployment of the Tennessee National Guard at Trump’s direction. The officials, in a statement via the National Immigration Law Center, argued, “Governor Lee’s deployment violates both the Tennessee Constitution and state statutes, which allow the Guard to be called up only in the event of a rebellion or invasion—and only when the General Assembly declares that public safety requires it. No such conditions exist in Memphis today.”
Federal troops appeared in Memphis for the first time on Oct. 10, patrolling sites like the Pyramid landmark alongside local police, according to the Associated Press. Mayor Paul Young defended the city, citing double-digit crime reductions since last year, but noted the deployment differed from those in other cities. “Memphis is different than L.A. and Chicago or Portland in that the governor of Tennessee and the president of the United States made the decision to bring the National Guard and the federal resources to the City of Memphis,” Young said.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis indicated troops would assist with non-enforcement tasks like traffic direction and retail presence, emphasizing, “From a public safety standpoint, we’re trying to utilize Guard personnel in non-enforcement types of capacities, so it does not feel like there is this over-militarization in our communities.”
Chicago: Supreme Court Appeal on Troop Mobilization
Trump urged the Supreme Court on Friday to approve National Guard deployment in Chicago, marking the first time his domestic troop authority has reached the justices. The emergency appeal challenges lower court blocks, including a Thursday decision by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholding a temporary injunction.
The administration’s filing argued the lower court order “improperly impinges on the president’s authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property,” citing assaults on federal officials in a “harrowing pre-planned ambush.”
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis last week expanded a restraining order, requiring body cameras for federal agents during protester encounters but exempting undercover or non-uniformed personnel from agencies like Customs and Border Protection.
Portland: Ongoing Court Battle Over ICE Protests
A Ninth Circuit panel is reviewing whether to block Oregon National Guard deployment to Portland following U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut’s extension of a temporary restraining order last week. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield stated on social media, “Regardless of what happens next, Oregon (Department of Justice) will continue to fight to uphold Oregon’s laws and the Constitution.”
Trump justified the action based on protests outside Portland’s ICE facility, which he described as leaving the city “war-ravaged.” Local leaders dispute this, asserting the situation is less severe than portrayed. Protests began in June over immigration policies, escalating to riots and arrests in summer, but calmed until late September’s troop announcement.
A group of senators, including Oregon representatives, requested a Defense Department inspector general inquiry Friday into nationwide Guard deployments, calling them “fundamentally un-Constitutional, dangerous for American civil rights” and a strain on military resources.
