Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
President Donald Trump told a gathering of top military leaders Tuesday that American cities should serve as “training grounds” for federal forces as part of his administration’s escalating crackdown on violent crime, describing the situation as “a war from within.”
Speaking to dozens of generals and admirals at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Trump said that defending the homeland from domestic threats was the military’s “most important priority.” He indicated that some of those in the room could soon be tasked with carrying out operations in cities such as Chicago and New York, both led by Democratic officials.
“They’re very unsafe places, and we’re going to straighten them out one by one,” Trump said. “And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war, too. It’s a war from within.”
Trump said he had directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to prepare for expanded domestic deployments and proposed using high-crime cities as live training environments for active-duty and National Guard troops.
“We should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military — National Guard, but our military, because we’re going into Chicago very soon,” Trump said. “That’s a big city with an incompetent governor.”
Expanding military role in domestic policing
The remarks are the latest indication that Trump is broadening the military’s role inside the United States, despite criticism from Democrats and civil liberties groups who warn that such actions blur the line between policing and warfare.
The White House has already deployed National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tenn., under a federal directive to “restore order” amid rising violent crime. Earlier this week, Trump announced that troops would also be sent to Portland, Oregon to assist local law enforcement.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to send troops to other Democratic-led cities, including Chicago, New York and New Orleans. Local leaders have said the move would inflame tensions and erode trust between residents and authorities.
“America is under invasion from within,” Trump said Tuesday. “No different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways because they don’t wear uniforms.”
Democrats decry ‘authoritarian’ tone
Democratic leaders condemned Trump’s remarks as dangerous and authoritarian, accusing him of using the military as a political tool.
“This language is alarming,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., in a statement. “The president is treating American neighborhoods like battlefields and American citizens like enemy combatants.”
Civil rights groups also warned that the proposal could violate the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts the use of federal troops in domestic law enforcement except under limited circumstances.
Trump’s comments reflect his continued emphasis on “law and order” messaging ahead of the 2026 midterms, appealing to voters frustrated by rising crime and urban unrest. But the idea of transforming U.S. cities into “training zones” for soldiers is expected to draw fierce legal and political pushback.
For now, the White House has not provided details on when or how the expanded deployments would take place, or under what authority active-duty troops could be used.
“We’re going to do what it takes,” Trump said. “We can’t let America fall apart from the inside.”
