Donald Trump has done just about everything short of reinstating the death penalty himself to ramp up his administration’s federal war on crime. The President deployed the National Guard to Washington D.C., a move that marks a new phase in his approach to addressing systemic violence and property crime. Thousands more troops from West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio will be appearing in the capital in the days to come. Their mission is to improve and enhance law enforcement operations.
West Virginia has announced plans to deploy 300-400 National Guard troops. For starters, South Carolina will provide 200 troops, with Ohio sending 150. Trump’s crime-focused administration would have you believe that this step is imperative to head off violent crime. Employees working in crime prevention express concern over these types of deployments. They argue such efforts do little to improve crime rates over the long term.
Justice Department Actions and Policy Overhauls
Trump’s Department of Justice was already seeking release of grand jury transcripts related to high profile criminal cases against sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. This request is made in tandem with a National Guard deployment. This action comes as the administration faces increased pressure over its continued pursuit of these cases. Critics are fuming over what they consider a blatant unwillingness to release investigative files.
In addition, the sweeping policing reforms that Trump’s administration is largely responsible for making happen in Washington D.C. Almost all critics would agree that in their rush to militarize America’s response to crime, the administration has buried the need for bigger, systemic reforms. Mayors from cities as diverse as Seattle and Baltimore are preparing for the possible repercussions. Some are even going so far as to commit to enshrine in law their communities’ protection against federal overreach.
Diplomatic Efforts Amid Domestic Challenges
As Trump navigates domestic challenges, his administration’s top diplomat commented on international negotiations, stating, “You can’t have a peace agreement unless both sides make concessions – that’s a fact.” This positive sentiment is indicative of the administration’s general strategy, which has made support for deal-making by various parties more important in difficult negotiations.
Marco Rubio, Trump’s Secretary of State, echoed this perspective, asserting that “both sides are going to have to make concessions” for a peaceful resolution to conflicts such as the ongoing war in Ukraine. As advocates have argued, the administration is pursuing these types of concessions overseas with fierce ambition. They contend that its approach to domestic issues lacks that same foresight and flexibility.