President Donald Trump has suggested deploying the National Guard to New Orleans, Louisiana, to address crime in the city, following an endorsement from the state's Republican governor, Jeff Landry. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump stated, 'We’re going to be going to maybe Louisiana, and you have New Orleans, which has a crime problem. We’ll straighten that out in about two weeks, easier than D.C.'
Governor Landry quickly welcomed the proposal, posting on social media, 'We will take President Trump’s help from New Orleans to Shreveport!' The plan also gained support from House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who noted that Trump’s National Guard actions had reduced violent crime in Washington, D.C., to 'historically low levels.'
Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of sending federal service members to major cities to tackle crime, often criticising Democratic leaders. He singled out Chicago, Baltimore, and Los Angeles, calling Chicago 'a hellhole' and criticising Illinois Governor JB Pritzker for opposing federal intervention. 'I want to go into Chicago and they have this incompetent governor that doesn't want us,' Trump said.
Despite Trump's claims, recent data shows a downward trend in crime in New Orleans in 2025. As of mid-2025, murders were down 26 per cent year-to-date compared to 2024, with non-fatal shootings decreasing 13 per cent and carjackings falling 36 per cent. Similarly, violent crime in D.C. has dropped 39 per cent from a year ago, with robberies down 57 per cent and motor vehicle theft down 35 per cent.
Trump has ignored these statistics, insisting on deploying the National Guard even if local officials oppose it. 'We're going in,' he said. 'This isn't a political thing. I have an obligation.' Last month, 800 troops were deployed to patrol D.C., which Trump hailed as a successful model for reducing crime.
