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By Andrew Stanton
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President Donald Trump has said several cities across the country could face federal action after he declared a public safety emergency in Washington, D.C. Here is a look at some of the nation's cities experiencing the highest rates of violent crime.
Why It Matters
Trump on Monday announced that 800 National Guard troops would be sent to the nation's capital to "reestablish law, order and public safety." He invoked federal authority to take over the Metropolitan Police Department, citing "special conditions of an emergency nature" under the District of Columbia's Home Rule Act.
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He warned that efforts to address crime would "go further," naming cities like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Baltimore as potential targets.
"You look at Chicago, how bad it is. You look at Los Angeles, how bad it is. We have other cities that are very bad. New York has a problem. And then you have, of course, Baltimore and Oakland. We don't even mention that anymore there," Trump said.
What To Know
Trump has touted himself as a "tough on crime" president over the years and has raised concerns about the crime rate in Washington, D.C. However, in 2024, violent crime significantly lessened in the nation's capital.
There were 187 homicides last year, down from 274 in 2023, and 2,113 robberies in 2024 compared to 3,468 in 2023, according to data from the Metropolitan Police Department.
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Below are the 30 U.S. cities with at least 100,000 residents that had the highest number of crimes against people, per 100,000, according to the latest FBI data report.
Not all agencies report to the bureau, so the list is not entirely complete. Trump only mentioned two of the following as potential federalization targets: Chicago and Baltimore.
- Memphis, TN
- Cleveland, OH
- Toledo, OH
- Little Rock, AR
- Peoria, IL
- Springfield, IL
- Detroit, MI
- Akron, OH
- Beaumont, TX
- Rockford, IL
- Evansville, IN
- Dayton, OH
- Nashville, TN
- Winston-Salem, NC
- Springfield, MO
- Chicago, IL
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Springfield, MA
- North Charleston, SC
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Tulsa, OK
- Albany, NY
- Buffalo, NY
- Kansas City, MO
- Shreveport, LA
- Baltimore, MD
- Houston, TX
- New Haven, CT
- Las Cruces, NM
- Lansing, MI
Trump's decision to deploy National Guard troops followed other Guard orders this year, including a June placement in Los Angeles—intended to quell immigration protests, according to the White House—that drew legal scrutiny.
While communities across the country continue grappling with crime, the latest report from the FBI found that crime has decreased overall. Violent crime fell 4.5 percent from 2023 to 2024, while property crime dipped 8.1. percent. Hate crimes had dropped 1.5 percent during that same time period.
Crime generally rose during the COVID-19 pandemic but has since fallen in most cities.
What People Are Saying
Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington, D.C., said during a news conference: "I can't say that given some of the rhetoric of the past that we are totally surprised."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, wrote to X: "Violent crime in Washington, D.C. is at a thirty-year low. Donald Trump has no basis to take over the local police department. And zero credibility on the issue of law and order. Get lost."
Senator Angela Alsobrooks, a Maryland Democrat, wrote to X: "The city of Washington, D.C. belongs to the great people of Washington, D.C., not the occupant of the White House. If he actually cared about the wellbeing of the people of Washington, he wouldn't have blocked D.C. from spending its OWN money in the way it saw fit. This is not only drastic executive overreach but the latest marker in how far this President is willing to go to attack our democracy."
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said during a news conference: "Let me be crystal-clear: Crime in D.C. is ending, and ending today. We are going to use every power we have to fight criminals here."
What Happens Next
Trump has indicated he could take federal action to manage crime in other cities, but details have not been made public.
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