WHITE HOUSE NEWS – Trump weighs expansion of National Guard to cities like Baltimore, Chicago and New York

Some National Guard units patrolling Washington, D.C. under orders from President Donald Trump are now carrying firearms, marking an escalation in the federal security operation. A Defense Department official confirmed that certain missions will see guardsmen armed with handguns or rifles, though only under strict rules for use of force. On Sunday, an AP photographer spotted South Carolina guardsmen outside Union Station with holstered sidearms.

The move underscores Trump’s extraordinary effort to override local authority, with thousands of National Guard troops and federal law enforcement now stationed across the capital. Trump has suggested Baltimore, Chicago, and New York could be next, sparking sharp pushback from Democratic leaders who argue he is abusing federal power to target majority-Black cities for political gain.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who has clashed with Trump over Baltimore’s crime statistics, blasted the deployment as political theater, while civil rights leaders, including Rev. Al Sharpton, denounced it as racially motivated. Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson vowed to sue if Trump sends troops, warning, “We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant.” The Pentagon has reportedly already been preparing for possible operations in Chicago.