President Donald Trump has positioned crime as a central issue in the 2026 midterm elections, emphasizing his recent federalization efforts in Washington, D.C., which involved deploying the National Guard to address rising crime rates. During a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Trump was asked about his push to federalize the nation’s capital by invoking the D.C. Home Rule Act to deploy hundreds of D.C. National Guard troops throughout the city. He responded by stating that crime will be a major focus in the 2026 midterms, asserting that the Republican Party is the only one against crime and that Democrats support crime. Trump’s remarks appear to be focused on cities like Chicago, where he has threatened to deploy the National Guard to ‘clean up’ the areas.
Trump’s comments have sparked controversy, with local officials in Washington, D.C., and other Democrat-led cities opposing the federalization effort, citing legal and constitutional concerns. The president has defended his actions, claiming that the results have been ‘unbelievable’ in just 12 days. He has also suggested that cities like Chicago could benefit from similar federal intervention. However, experts have warned that such moves could lead to significant legal challenges and potential conflicts with local governance. Despite these concerns, Trump has continued to highlight the supposed success of his strategy, even as the city’s officials have escalated their legal battles against the federal move.