Trump targets Chicago and New York as Hegseth orders weapons for DC troops

President Donald Trump is signaling that his sweeping federal crackdown on crime will not stop in Washington, D.C. On Friday, he told reporters that Chicago and New York may be next. “When ready, we will start in Chicago … Chicago is a mess,” Trump said. He added that his administration “will help with New York,” underscoring that his effort to restore order is not limited to the nation’s capital.

The comments came just as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a significant escalation in federal presence: the nearly 2,000 National Guard troops currently deployed under federal control in Washington, D.C. will now be armed. A defense official explained the move: “At the direction of the secretary of defense, [Joint Task Force] JTF-DC members supporting the mission to lower the crime rate in our nation’s capital will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training.”

This development highlights the extraordinary steps being taken. Normally, the National Guard operates under the authority of state governors, with the federal government stepping in only under rare emergency circumstances. But in the District of Columbia, the Constitution gives the president unique authority to assume direct control. Trump has leaned into those powers, taking command of the city’s police department and deploying the Guard in what he calls a response to a crisis of crime and homelessness.

The move marks a sharp departure from the Pentagon’s earlier stance. Just last week, officials said troops would not carry weapons. That policy has now shifted, reflecting the administration’s determination to confront crime head-on. It follows the arrival of hundreds of Guard members from Republican-led states, sent to reinforce D.C.’s security posture.

This strategy is not confined to Washington. Earlier this summer, Trump federalized the California National Guard against the objections of Governor Gavin Newsom, deploying troops in Los Angeles to counter protests targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The move was almost without precedent and underscored Trump’s willingness to override state leaders he views as failing to maintain public order.

At the same time, the administration has tightened its approach to law enforcement in the capital. Jeanine Pirro, the District’s top federal prosecutor, instructed her office to pursue the most serious charges possible in recent cases, telling line prosecutors to maximize penalties. “In line with President Trump’s directive to make DC safe, US attorney Pirro has made it clear that the old way of doing things is unacceptable,” spokesman Tim Lauer said. “She directed her staff to charge the highest crime that is supported by the law and the evidence.”

By eliminating broad discretion for leniency, the Justice Department is seeking to ensure criminals face stronger consequences. Longer sentences and stricter prosecutions represent a clear shift away from the lighter-touch approach that critics argue has fueled rising lawlessness in American cities. Pirro has also pressed for reform of local laws that she argues coddle juvenile offenders, reflecting a wider push for accountability.

Interestingly, while hardening most prosecutions, Pirro announced that her office will not pursue felony charges for possession of rifles or shotguns in the District, despite a city law prohibiting them. She cited guidance from the Supreme Court and the solicitor general. The exception applies only to otherwise law-abiding individuals, not violent criminals or those barred from owning firearms. This adjustment reflects an acknowledgment of Second Amendment protections even as the broader crackdown unfolds.

The results so far have been significant. According to the White House, more than 630 arrests have been made by federal agents since the operation began. While the Justice Department has not provided city-to-city comparisons, the number signals an aggressive campaign to take offenders off the streets. Trump has declared his takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department a success and is openly considering replicating the model in other cities such as Baltimore, Oakland, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.

Critics, particularly Democratic leaders, have accused Trump of “singling out Black cities” and staging what they call “theatrics.” Baltimore’s mayor Brandon Scott told CNN that Trump “has never been” to the neighborhoods he now targets. Maryland Governor Wes Moore insisted that his city is seeing results from community programs and vowed never to activate the Guard “for theatrics.” But for many Americans weary of violence and disorder, the question is not about politics—it is about safety and security.

Trump’s posture is consistent with his broader message: federal authority will step in where local leaders fail to uphold order. It is a direct rebuke to the permissive policies of many progressive mayors and prosecutors who have presided over rising crime and decaying streets. By arming National Guard troops, maximizing prosecutions, and signaling readiness to expand the mission nationwide, Trump is framing himself as a president unwilling to allow America’s great cities to be overwhelmed by lawlessness.

For citizens watching the steady erosion of safety in urban centers, the debate comes down to this: will government continue to tolerate dysfunction under the banner of local control, or will decisive federal action finally restore accountability, protect families, and bring back the common-sense standards of law and order that once defined American life?