President Donald Trump is considering expanding the use of the National Guard to combat crime in major American cities, a move that has drawn criticism from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and raised legal questions among scholars.
Trump has previously deployed the National Guard in Washington, D.C., where the guard reports directly to the president. He is currently involved in a court case over his decision to send both National Guard members and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles during immigration raids and protests. The administration has indicated that other cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, and New Orleans could also be targeted for similar operations.
Pennsylvania officials say there have been no direct discussions about deploying the National Guard in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. Governor Shapiro, who previously served as attorney general, maintains that such an action is unnecessary because violent crime rates have decreased in Pennsylvania.
“Anyone who tries to undermine Pennsylvanians’ fundamental freedoms will have to go through me – whether that’s a predatory corporation or the President of the United States,” Shapiro posted on X Friday morning.
Earlier this week, Shapiro said he understands “what communities need to do to make people safe as governor.”
“We’ve invested millions of dollars in not only policing, but in community organizations that have helped bring down violent crime by 42%,” he said. “Now is not a time to disrupt that with distrust the way the president is doing in other communities.”
In June, Shapiro criticized Trump’s deployment of troops following demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement actions in California.
The White House did not respond directly when asked if Pittsburgh or Philadelphia were under consideration for future deployments or about legal concerns raised by Shapiro. However, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson described Trump’s operation in Washington as “wildly successful,” stating that he “is invested in the long-term success of these efforts.”
“Just this week, (D.C. Mayor Muriel) Bowser signed an order to continue cooperating with the president’s efforts to Make D.C. Safe Again,” Jackson added. “This sustained partnership between President Trump and D.C. will ensure violent crime continues to be addressed – other Democrats across the country should follow Mayor Bowser’s lead.”
Jackson further singled out Shapiro on Friday: “Another wannabe presidential candidate is desperate to get into the news cycle by attacking the president’s highly successful operations to drive down violent crime – this won’t fool the American people and Pennsylvanians who elected President Trump on his law and order platform.” She also suggested that Shapiro should look at Bowser’s cooperation with federal agencies; however, Bowser herself noted she did not extend Trump’s emergency declaration for Washington.
Washington’s Attorney General Brian Schwalb recently filed suit against Trump’s administration over military deployments: “No American city should have the U.S. military – particularly out-of-state military who are not accountable to the residents and untrained in local law enforcement – policing its streets,” Schwalb said. “It’s D.C. today, but could be any other city tomorrow.”
Political analysts suggest Trump’s focus on cities like Philadelphia may reflect broader political strategies involving potential Democratic rivals such as Governors Gavin Newsom (California), JB Pritzker (Illinois), and now possibly Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania). Christopher Borick from Muhlenberg College noted Trump’s rhetoric often targets cities associated with his opponents while dismissing national trends showing declining violent crime rates.
The White House highlighted Chicago’s murder rate per capita as being significantly higher than those of Los Angeles or New York City: “The Trump Administration’s message to Chicagoans and residents in Democrat-run cities nationwide is simple: you don’t have to live like this,” according to a recent release targeting Illinois Governor Pritzker.
Legal experts question whether deploying troops for general law enforcement purposes complies with longstanding traditions separating military involvement from civilian policing responsibilities. Elizabeth Goitein of the Brennan Center for Justice argued that using troops outside established emergencies violates democratic principles: “At a minimum, it violates the principle and tradition that goes back to the founding of this nation against using the military for law enforcement purposes,” she said.
She pointed out limitations under laws such as The Insurrection Act—where troop deployment requires threats against civil rights—and stressed states’ sovereignty regarding each other’s National Guards: “Under the Constitution, states are sovereign entities (with regard to) one another,” Goitein said.
Bruce Ledewitz at Duquesne University described current debates over guard deployment as largely symbolic: “This whole thing is performance art,” he said. Still, Ledewitz noted some courts might support presidential authority during declared emergencies even if governors objected.
A federal judge recently ruled against Trump’s deployment of thousands of guardsmen and marines in Los Angeles under statutes restricting domestic use of military forces except under specific circumstances protecting federal property or officials’ duties.
Supporters within Pennsylvania’s Republican leadership view Trump’s approach more favorably; Senator Dave McCormick called previous deployments models for restoring public safety but acknowledged restrictions on domestic military roles: “But I think the way president’s deployed National Guard troops in Washington has been a great success,” he said.
Stacy Garrity—state treasurer and GOP gubernatorial front-runner—praised Trump’s priorities around public safety while warning families face uncertainty amid urban violence.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner strongly opposed any militarized response from Washington: “Trump always chickens out.” Krasner warned about what he characterized as fear-based agendas behind talk of deploying troops domestically ahead of elections.
Major Travis Meuller confirmed there had been no official requests since Trump took office beyond ceremonial participation by Pennsylvania guardsmen elsewhere.
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